Grandma's Lemon Meringue Pie (2024)

FAQs

How do you keep a lemon meringue pie crust from getting soggy? ›

The most common way to ward off a soggy pie crust is by a process called blind baking. Blind baking means you pre-bake the crust (sometimes covered with parchment or foil and weighed down with pie weights to prevent the crust from bubbling up) so that it sets and crisps up before you add any wet filling.

Our Test Kitchen recommends following the recipe, beating, and baking as written. The watery layer between the meringue and the filling (weeping) is usually caused by undercooking.

What is the best way to prevent having liquid at the bottom of a lemon meringue pie? Don't over bake your meringue! Overbaking causes the egg whites to shrink and squeeze out small droplets of moisture. Always make sure to check on your pie at the minimum baking time.

Choose the Right Rack in the Oven

Which rack you use in the oven can help ensure a crisp crust. Baking the pie on a lower rack will concentrate heat on the bottom of the pie and help the crust crisp.

Place the uncovered pie in the refrigerator for 3-6 hours.

Avoid putting any plastic wrap or foil over the pie if you're refrigerating it for less than 6 hours. Covering the pie with a wrap can crush the meringue, causing it to release moisture and get runny, which is called “weeping.”

If poorly made or just given enough time, the structure that makes up the meringue will break down, and this will allow for the release of moisture and sugar, which is known as weeping.

Fixing runny meringue is usually as simple as whisking more air into the mixture and waiting for it to develop stiff peaks. You can also add another egg white or a teaspoon of cornstarch to get the mix to the consistency you need.

It is quite unusual for a meringue to have an "eggy" flavour and unfortunately this is usually an indication that the eggs are slightly stale. Check that the eggs are within their "best before" date and that they have been stored correctly.

You want to make sure that there are no air gaps between the meringue and the crust. Otherwise, it will shrink and pull away from the crust as it bakes and cools.

What is the top of lemon meringue pie made of? ›

To make the meringue: Beat egg whites in a glass, metal, or ceramic bowl with an electric mixer until foamy. Gradually add sugar, continuing to beat until stiff peaks form. Spread meringue over pie filling, sealing the edges at the crust. Bake in preheated oven until meringue is golden brown, about 20 to 25 minutes.

Meringue pies (ex. The Banana Pete or Honey Lemon Meringue) are best eaten within 2 days of purchase if stored at room temperature. However, they can also be refrigerated for up to 4 days.

To store a meringue-topped pie overnight, insert wooden toothpicks into meringue halfway between the center and edge of the pie; loosely drape clear plastic wrap over the toothpicks. Refrigerate for up to 2 days. Refrigerate whipped cream-topped pies for up to 4 hours.

Once your pie is done baking, allow it to cool completely on a wire rack at room temperature before serving. If the pie is even remotely warm when you cut into it, the lemon base may be runny.

Crust dust is a 1:1 mixture of flour and granulated sugar. When baking a pie, especially a fruit pie, a couple of teaspoons of crust dust sprinkled into the bottom of the crust will help prevent the crust from becoming saturated with juicy filling as it bakes.

Meringue pies will ''weep'' water because of the interaction between the filling and the whipped meringue. If one or the other is overcooked, water beads will form and weep.

The trick is to store the baked, cooled meringues in the freezer, where the dry, cold air prevents them from attracting moisture and losing their crispness. This means you can make plain meringue cookies anytime, yes, but you'll also have so many other desserts waiting at your fingertips.