Ta Dah!!! I have learned how to make one of the family favourites! Lemon Meringue!! And I have to say, it's the first really 'difficult' thing I've made so far and I did have a few 'bleep' moments with it, but I'm pleased I've made it. I'll have to do a repeat to be confident with it, but I'm pretty pleased with myself!
Lemon Meringue Pie
Need: Crust
3/4 cup Graham Cracker crumbs
1/3 cup butter
1/4 cup sugar
Lemon
1 can condensed milk
125 ml lemon juice
rind of 1 lemon
2 egg yolks
Meringue
2 egg whites
1/8 cup sugar
Method:
Crust - melt the butter and mix together all ingredients, then press into pie dish.
Lemon: mix together ingredients until one texture (ie fully mixed). pour into pie crust.
Meringue - this is the HARD part. (ugh). So you shouldn't have any yolk traces in the egg whites. If you do, start again. and again. and again. (and save the failures for breakfast the next morning..). Once you've got just whites, beat. We used the mixer, had it on high, and walked away for about 15 minutes. When it's all white and frothy, slowly add sugar. The meringue is done when it 'peaks' - ie it can make a point similar to a Dairy Queen ice-cream cone. Pour it on top of the lemon. (note: meringue is notoriously difficult. don't use the pictures here as references, as mine fell very flat. ideally it's quite light and puffy. next time...)
Put in an 350F oven for 10 - 13 minutes or until slightly brown on top.
Then CHILL.
This last direction, well, we didn't do enough of. So a hint - if you are serving this at dinner, make it at breakfast, as it need quite a long time to chill and set. Mine tasted good but looked like a melted droopy mess!!Edit: I just remembered, I had to double the entire recipe to fit the 9inch dish, so you are warned! :)
Also: get out of my kitchen! =P
I have no experience with baking meringue, but I do know a bit about protein denaturation, so I think I might be able to help here. Judging by the second photo, it looks like your lemon filling is quite runny; when you heat it up in the oven, this will result in water evaporating from the filling and overhydrating the meringue, resulting in it not being properly denatured.
ReplyDeleteA few possible solutions to this problem: 1. Use less liquid in the filling, 2. Put a thin layer of something hygroscopic (e.g., sugar) between the filling and the meringue, 3. Cook the meringue for longer at lower temperature. Oh, and there's also a fourth "cheating" option: Cook the meringue separately before you put it onto the pie!
I haven't tried any of these so I don't know how well they would work in practice -- but you've asked for pointers, so I figured I might as well comment and let you decide if you want to try the chemistry experiments or not. :-)
Another option that involves zero knowledge of protein denaturation is the three bowl method, which will prevent you from contaminating your bowl of egg whites when you both yuor last egg. dirties more implements, but you have a dishwasher anyways.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Kqx9uLEDM0
The reason it was so runny is that it didn't cool long enough in the fridge. It should have been in for half a day or so to really become 'solid'.
ReplyDeleteThat 3 bowl idea is wicked.. next meringue, that's what I'm doing for sure!! Thanks! :)