what is the purpose of lemon/acid in fruit maceration for pie baking?
A lot of pie recipes will tell you to take out the liquid in juicy fruits, like apple and peaches, for pie baking.
The purpose is to avoid a soggy crust with too much liquid.
Some people even put tapioca starch to thicken the liquid.
Fruits must be macerated to take out the liquid. This is done by slicing and then adding sugar but also lemon juice.
But what is the purpose of the lemon juice? I know that it lowers the PH and increases the acidity.
But how does this assist in taking out the liquid from the fruit (I"m assuming this is the purpose).
Why don't just skip it?
I googled it but the answers didn't seem scientific or accurate? E.g., lemon juice is to add flavor or it is to speed up the process (but how?)
Best Answer
While there might be an acceleration effect, sugar on its own is very capable of drawing out liquids quickly. Two other effects are probably much more important:
lemon juice is very effective in stopping cut fruit from oxidizing/enzymatic browning.
taste balancing. Fruit is naturally sweet and sour, adding heavy amounts of sugar can upset that balance too far into the sweet region, resulting in a cloying/one dimensional/stodgy character
in some recipes, keeping the sugar/fruit mixture from caramelizing/browning too much. Acid inhibits maillard reactions to a degree.
acid promotes sugar inversion when combined with heat, which slightly changes the sweetness profile (halfway to honey, more or less) and potentially significantly the texture (there will be no crystallization of loose sugar-water mixtures upon cooling).
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Quick Answer about "what is the purpose of lemon/acid in fruit maceration for pie baking?"
Adding acids to fruit pie fillings preserves flavor and color. Lemon and lime juice compliment a dense and sweet pie. Balsamic vinegar can also be delicious in berry pies. Plus, the acid cuts into the fruits, pulling out juices and natural sugars into the filling.Why do you use lemon juice in pie filling?
Many recipes for apple pie and apple cobbler will call for tossing your sliced apples in a little bit of lemon juice before putting them into your dish. Lemon juice prevents oxidation of the apples, which means that it stops the slices from turning brown by providing a barrier between the apple's flesh and the air.What does citric acid do in baking?
Leavening - When citric acid is combined with baking powder, a chemical reaction occurs and carbon dioxide gas bubbles are created. This helps to improve the leavening, or rise, of baked goods. Citric acid is a helpful substitute in vegan baking that cannot rely on eggs or buttermilk to help with leavening.Is lemon juice necessary for apple pie?
Fresh lemon juice is optional and can be squeezed on top of the apples to not only prevent browning, but it also help balance the sweetness of the sugar and tartness of the granny smith apples.What does lemon juice do in a recipe?
Lemon juice is a common ingredient in cooking and baking. It adds a bright, citrusy flavor to savory and sweet dishes alike. With a low pH level, it's one of the most acidic natural ingredients available, providing structure to jams and jellies and helping baked goods rise properly (1, 2, 3, 4 ).How to Master Fruit Pies | Bake It Up a Notch with Erin McDowell
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Answer 2
The lemon juice increases the acidity of the mixture. Sugar is hygrophilic (meaning is draws water) This acidic sugar bath thins cell membranes so the juices can flow more easily, while still maintaining a solid piece of fruit. After 2 to 4 hours of maceration, you can strain the mixture. This is how you draw the flavor and color of the fruit out into what has now become a flavored invert syrup for making say strawberry or peach ice cream. In the case of pies, it's to dessicate the fruit some, i.e. dry it out a bit.
Answer 3
The main effect is in my opinion that of preventing oxidative browning of the fruit. This is by virtue of the antioxidant ascorbic acid ( vitamin C ) in the lemon juice.
Obviously it has welcomed or just side effects too, at minimum it imparts acidity.
Let me note here that, let us say we do not want to alter taste of the ingredients, we could use a bit of vit C in water. It is still a bit sour, but not lemon taste.
Answer 4
The answer to your question is related to the PH balance of your fruit filling. When you heat your filling after adding sugar, it releases pectin which is negatively charged. This allows the fruit to release flavor but these negativley charge pectin strands repel each other and so the lemon being acidic adds a positively charge which allows the pectin strands to bond. These bonded pectin strands are what allows your juice to thicken. Many add geletin, tapioca, corn starch or flour to assist with this but the acidic lemon juice is what balances the PH of the filling and keeps it from being too juicy.
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