What should the texture of meringue be in a lemon meringue pie?
After the pie has cooked and chilled, what texture should the meringue be? I couldn't find an answer online, and it was hard to tell from photographs. I'm assuming it isn't supposed to be crispy, the way meringue cookies are. But should it be completely soft, almost whipped-cream like? Or should it be somewhat chewy?
Best Answer
This is one of those questions to which there are as many answers as there are chefs ;)
Personally, I would say - you want all three, at different depths in your meringue.
The peaks should be browned & just crisp.
A millimetre or two below that ought to have an 'al dente' feel to it, a hint of 'chewy' but only a hint.
Below that it ought to be barely set, but it must be set.
If you get it like this it will survive only briefly.
If kept for more than a few hours, maybe a day tops, the top goes from crisp to chewy, below will go from light to rubbery to sloppy… until you end up with the stuff you buy in supermarkets :\
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What texture should cooked meringue be?
Meringue should be on the sweet side, with a crisp texture that will instantly melt in your mouth. After being given plenty of time to slowly bake, finished meringue will be white, shiny, and smooth.Is meringue supposed to be thick?
Beat until the meringue is very smooth, very glossy, and thick. This should take 3 to 6 minutes. If you're topping a pie, spoon, pipe, or slather the top of the still-warm pie filling with the meringue.How do you know when lemon meringue pie is done?
The entire process should take about 10-12 minutes, or until stiff peaks form, the sugar is well dissolved, and the meringue looks glossy. *Be sure the filling is piping hot when you pour into the pie crust and top immediately with the meringue.Why is my lemon meringue pie runny?
In order to prevent this issue, make sure that the lemon filling is hot from the stove when you spread the meringue over the filling. The hot filling will cook the meringue from the bottom which will prevent watery pie. This is why I recommend to prepare the meringue before you start with the filling.Foolproof Lemon Meringue Pie - Kitchen Conundrums with Thomas Joseph
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