Lemon Meringue Pie Question

This question comes from Reading, Pennsylvania via search engine: How long do you cool a lemon meringue pie before you put the meringue on it?

Typically, a Lemon Meringue Pie recipe is made using the following method:
A flaky pie crust is rolled and placed into a pie pan and blind baked until golden brown. You can keep the edge of the pie crust from becoming too brown by gently wrapping a thin strip of aluminum foil over just the edge after it becomes golden and continue baking until the bottom of the pie crust is golden and fully baked. If you are using a glass pie pan, be aware that it will take up to twice as long to bake as with an aluminum or Teflon-coated pan.

Allow egg whites to come to room temperature prior to whipping then prepare meringue according to the recipe. Hold prepared meringue for only a few minutes while the lemon filling finishes cooking.

Lemon custard filling is then made in a saucepan on the stove top using the preferred recipe. Pour the hot lemon filling directly into the baked pie shell or allow it to cool up to 5 minutes. The hotter the filling is, the less likely your meringue is to weep after toasting. Add prepared meringue and place under the broiler of a preheated oven until meringue becomes golden brown.

Marshmallow Icing


This recipe requires few ingredients and as long as you have a stand mixer it's very simple.

Marshmallow Icing

2 Cups granulated sugar
1 Tablespoon Cream of Tartar
3/4 Cup water
1 1/4 Cup pasteurized egg whites (Whippin' Whites or Eggology), at room temp.
1 Cup miniature marshmallows


In a medium sauce pan bring sugar, cream tartar and water to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and continue boiling until syrup reaches soft-ball stage (235 degrees).

While syrup is boiling, whip egg whites to medium peaks (Stop mixer and lift beater out of whites. Foam peaks should rise up but bend over just at the end.). Run mixer at lowest speed until syrup reaches proper temp.

With the mixer running, slowly pour in a stream of syrup near the side of the bowl (out of the way of the turning beater). Increase mixer speed to medium-high and add marshmallows, a few at a time.

Don't forget to turn off the burner of the stove.

Beat at highest speed (work up to highest speed if it threatens to leap out of the bowl) until the bowl is cool to the touch, about 25 minutes.


After adding syrup

Getting impatient waiting for the bowl to cool down.

Finally!

Ice cooled cakes immediately for best result.
If allowed to stand in the mixing bowl, icing will dry out a bit and become quite bubbly. If this happens simply re-whip until it comes back together.
Icing may be refrigerated up to 1 week. To use after refrigeration, add a bit more cream of tartar (up to 1/2 tablespoon) and whip until icing becomes smooth and fluffy. Some volume will be lost after refrigeration.


*Makes enough to ice and decorate two 10-inch cakes (pictured at top).


This icing does not sag or weep like regular meringue and 'toasts' just fine with a kitchen torch. I have not attempted to toast this icing with an oven broiler.

How To Clean a Fine Mesh Strainer

An interesting question from Randi:
How do you clean a finemesh strainer? I have an OXO one and when I strain custards or soups, they get so gross!!

This is the type of strainer I believe Randi is talking about. I have a similar problem when I strain fruits for jam. Here's what I do to clean mine:
First I begin by turning the strainer upside down and running a good blast of water all over the bottom side of the strainer so the wedged-in bits will come out. Then I use a plastic bristled scrubber

to speed up the process a bit. I find the worst area to clean on a strainer like this is under the metal rim of the basket. If a lot of gunk is stuck under there, I'll soak the strainer in a big pot of hot water for an hour or so and then repeat the above process.

I hope this is helpful Randi!