Lemon Meringue Pie
So, I decided to try my hand at Lemon Meringue Pie for my wife's birthday. I followed this recipe for which we had watched the video not long ago.
Long story short, I did things the way I usually do. Which means when doing a series of things I've never done before I screwed up new and unique things each and every time I tried it.
Right now, pie #3 is in the oven. So far I think it is the closest, but still not perfect.
Basically, first time around crust was too thick, meringue was too runny, but somehow the lemon custard was PERFECT.
Attempt #2 resulted in a better crust (somewhat ruined by what happened next), a totally failed custard which was so runny it ruined everything and the fluffiest meringue the world has ever seen. I think I actually managed to take it too far.
Attempt #3, we decided to try Orange Meringue Pie instead. Just subbed lemons out with oranges, and adjusted quantities a bit because the oranges were massive compared to the lemons.
Still not perfect. Crust should be as good as the second attempt. Maybe better if the custard holds up this time. Speaking of which, it wasn't perfect. I probably took it off the stove a minute or so too early as the corners of the pot had some custard sticking to it, of a more desirable consistency. The issue with the custard is of course, cook it too long and you have a hard, very sweet omelet. Take it off too soon and you have varying degrees of dropping mess.
This time around it was thick enough when I took it off that it didn't try escaping the pie plate. So, for now, I'm calling that a victory.
The Meringue this time around was improved several fold. Firstly, after my first two approaches I learned... don't try to be a hero. Make meringue with a machine. Doing it by hand is just cruel. It takes long enough with a mixer that my arm was getting tired. Of course, I doubt most people take as much pride in doing things by hand as I do, so probably not a problem for most people.
Anyway, meringue #3 I didn't whip until it ridiculously fluffy. I just whipped it until it more or less held it's shape. Which is, what I imagine, the term "firm peaks" more or less is aiming for.
Pie #1 we ate all of. The only thing I royally goofed on was the meringue. And most of that dripped off during cooking, so it was a non-issue.
Pie #2 is resting in the garbage. You can't afford to screw up the custard too badly.
Pie #3... we shall.
And this is a chronicle of my failures in the ways of the lemon meringue pie. Through these failures... I think that if there is a pie #4 I'll be able to nail all of the pieces.
Long story short, I did things the way I usually do. Which means when doing a series of things I've never done before I screwed up new and unique things each and every time I tried it.
Right now, pie #3 is in the oven. So far I think it is the closest, but still not perfect.
Basically, first time around crust was too thick, meringue was too runny, but somehow the lemon custard was PERFECT.
Attempt #2 resulted in a better crust (somewhat ruined by what happened next), a totally failed custard which was so runny it ruined everything and the fluffiest meringue the world has ever seen. I think I actually managed to take it too far.
Attempt #3, we decided to try Orange Meringue Pie instead. Just subbed lemons out with oranges, and adjusted quantities a bit because the oranges were massive compared to the lemons.
Still not perfect. Crust should be as good as the second attempt. Maybe better if the custard holds up this time. Speaking of which, it wasn't perfect. I probably took it off the stove a minute or so too early as the corners of the pot had some custard sticking to it, of a more desirable consistency. The issue with the custard is of course, cook it too long and you have a hard, very sweet omelet. Take it off too soon and you have varying degrees of dropping mess.
This time around it was thick enough when I took it off that it didn't try escaping the pie plate. So, for now, I'm calling that a victory.
The Meringue this time around was improved several fold. Firstly, after my first two approaches I learned... don't try to be a hero. Make meringue with a machine. Doing it by hand is just cruel. It takes long enough with a mixer that my arm was getting tired. Of course, I doubt most people take as much pride in doing things by hand as I do, so probably not a problem for most people.
Anyway, meringue #3 I didn't whip until it ridiculously fluffy. I just whipped it until it more or less held it's shape. Which is, what I imagine, the term "firm peaks" more or less is aiming for.
Pie #1 we ate all of. The only thing I royally goofed on was the meringue. And most of that dripped off during cooking, so it was a non-issue.
Pie #2 is resting in the garbage. You can't afford to screw up the custard too badly.
Pie #3... we shall.
And this is a chronicle of my failures in the ways of the lemon meringue pie. Through these failures... I think that if there is a pie #4 I'll be able to nail all of the pieces.
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