Help with Lemon Meringue

Windy Wendy · Help with Lemon Meringue

I love home made lemon meringue pie. However, whenever I make it after it has cooled there is always this clear liquid which seems to seep out and make the layers slide away from each other. I think it must be from the eggs - either from the meringue or the yolks in the yellow layer - as it is like the watery liquid you get with scrambled eggs. Any ideas on how to stop this?

frangipani

Hope somebody has some tips for you, I've never tried to make it, so can't really help, sorry xx

Nannyp

Firstly, I am not the best person to answer this, I do not bake very often.

I don't think it's the eggs, I think it is as a result of the cooling process and steam being trapped. I do know what you mean, it has happened to me.
Hopefully, someone will come along with the answer....my answer would be to cool the curd and the meringue seperately, and then put them together before serving.

frangipani

I found this for you it may be of some help....

Weeping meringue (google this and it will bring up plenty of sites to help you!)

WEEPING MERINGUE: When water seeps between the filling and the meringue, the pie is weeping. Weeping is a common problem with meringue pies, but it is avoidable.

Weeping--loss of water between the meringue and the pie filling--is caused by undercooking.

Some Theories as to Why: Meringue for a pie is simply beaten whipped egg whites and sugar, spread on top and then quickly broiled so it lightly browns. The original intent of a meringue-topped pie is to eat it right away; it will start to break down immediately, showing up as water in the bottom of the pan.

Some feel that it is really a watery layer that forms because of the interaction between the filling and the meringue; weeping is caused by undercooked meringue which frequently occurs when beaten meringue is spooned onto a cool filling.

Others feel that egg whites weep if they are over-beaten or are from old eggs.

Unfortunately, we do know that refrigeration makes a meringue pie "weep" even more than if you just cover it (with an inverted bowl) and set it on the counter.

Also, as with all whipped and uncooked egg whites, as they sit atop the pie in storage, they start to break down or denature, forming water in the bottom of your pie, called weeping.

SEVERAL SOLUTIONS TO WEEPING MERINGUE:
1. Add some cornstarch: I've incorporated a food styling trick into meringue recipes: adding a cornstarch mixture to the egg whites to stabilize the meringue. It prevents the egg proteins from overcooking which causes shrinkage, beading or weeping in the meringue. Food stylists use this technique and have used it during photo shoots to produce beautiful pies. Now I use it for the pies I bake at home, too.

CORNSTARCH MIXTURE RECIPE: Per 4 egg whites, stir 1 tablespoon cornstarch into 1/3 cup cold water, heat while stirring until the starch thickens. Set aside to cool. After the sugar has been beaten into the meringue and it forms soft peaks, add cornstarch mixture 1 TBSP at a time, beating to stiff peaks.

2. Pre-cook the meringue, which I recommend. Uncooked meringue is unstable. The best way to stabilize is to cook it before putting it on the pie. Pre-Cooked Meringue Recipes:

Swiss Meringue Recipe
Easy No Weep Meringue Recipe

My favorite Lemon Meringue Pie Recipe uses this technique and I always have great success: In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, stir together the sugar and water until the sugar is completely moistened. Cook until the syrup boils. Turn the heat to low. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the egg whites until foamy. Add the cream of tartar and beat until stiff peaks form. Bring the sugar syrup to 236 degrees and slowly drizzle the sugar syrup down the side of the mixing bowl into the whites with the motor of the mixer running. Beat the whites for an additional 2 minutes until shiny.

3. Beat egg whites to almost their full capacity: If less than, egg white foam will have poor volume. The cause may be that the bowls or beaters probably have some grease on them.

4. Dissolve the sugar thoroughly: Bakers know to use superfine sugar when making meringues because it quickly dissolves well in cold and room-temperature liquids. Meringues will also weep if there's any undissolved sugar. First, beat the whites until they form soft peaks, then sprinkle the sugar on top of the whites. Let the whites and sugar sit for 5 minutes--don't stir! You want to dissolve the sugar because any that is undissolved will weep. Finally, rebeat them until stiff peaks form. Spread the meringue over pie filling. Bake as usual.

5. Add Piping gel: It helps to stabilize the meringue on pies. Just use about one tablespoon for each three to four egg whites. It helps to keep them from “weeping”.

6. Always seal the edges of the pie or any other recipe with meringue: Beaten egg whites insulate the filling from the heat when baking.

7. Make sure the filling is hot, even boiling, before pouring it into the pie shell: Immediately spread the meringue over the filling. The hot filling will begin to cook the meringue from the bottom, ensuring even cooking throughout.

8. Store properly: A Lemon Meringue Pie or any meringue topped pie can stand at room temperature in a draft-free spot under an inverted bowl. But, if refrigerated, it speeds up the process of the meringue "weeping". However, custard and cream meringue topped pies always have to be kept refrigerated because the filling is perishable.

Windy Wendy

That's great Shona - I might have a go with the corn starch method as some of the others seem over complicated.

Maybe the answer is to eat it all as soon as possible - I'm sure my boyfriend will oblige :lol:

frangipani

sparkymarky

i have often found that when meringue weeps it can sometimes be because the ratio of egg white to sugar isn't quite right or has not been whisked quite enough,it is quite hard to overwhip meringue but it is possible-the weepiness can be a result of the glucose leeking from the meringue during the cooking process.....hope this helps a little,rest assurred its not anything you should be unduly worried about

Windy Wendy

shanzi

Gilly C

lemon meringue is hubby fave but I prefer crushed pineapple ! seal the pastry first by brushing with egg white so the pastry doesn't go soggy :wink: