where did I go wrong
By carpenter5
@carpenter5 (6782)
United States
March 10, 2009 9:04pm CST
I was sitting here tonight and thinking about past cooking failures! It's something I do occasionally, to make myself a better cook.
Several weeks ago on a Sunday afternoon I made a lemon meringue pie. Or at least I tried to. The pie was good, but I couldn't make the meringue get stiff no matter what I did. I tried cream of tarter, I tried more sugar, I beat it forever. All the tricks my mom and grandmama had taught me and nothing worked.
Any ideas from some of you cooks what might have gone wrong?
2 people like this
4 responses
@lynnemg (4529)
• United States
11 Mar 09
After speding close to 6 hours trying to get the meringue for m very lemon meringue pie to stiffen up, and having no luckwhat-so-ever, I called my Mom and asked her what I should do. The solution was so simple, I couldn't even believe it. To get mewrngue to stiffen easily, beat it in a GLASS bowl. I switched bowls, and it stiffened up in no time.
Now, if you were using a glass bowl already, I have no idea what to say, except double check your recipe.
2 people like this
@carpenter5 (6782)
• United States
12 Mar 09
I did know about the plastic bowl. Only because I remember asking my grandmother many years ago why she mixed cornbread, biscuits, cake, pie crust and many other things in her big plastic mixing bowl, but always pulled out glass to do meringue.
@carpenter5 (6782)
• United States
12 Mar 09
Oh, well that's ok. My husband was looking over my shoulder that day and he kept saying well, it tastes good, it's just not stiff. I should have just left the meringue off and just had lemon pie! But I was being obstinate and determined to make it the way my grandma used to.
@flowerchilde (12529)
• United States
11 Mar 09
I tried that once! Never again!
It would have to be store bought or lemon pie with light whipped cream!
It would have to be store bought or lemon pie with light whipped cream!1 person likes this
@carpenter5 (6782)
• United States
12 Mar 09
I have made it before and never had issues. I don't care for whipped cream on lemon pie. It just doesn't taste right to me, but hey. THat's why there are all different kinds of choices at the grocery store right?
@GardenGerty (169477)
• United States
11 Mar 09
Never use a plastic bowl. Make sure that the bowl and beaters are absolutely free of grease. Is it possible you got a speck of yolk in your whites? Add the sugar gradually, one spoonful at a time. Use Cream of Tartar per directions on the bottle.Bring egg whites to room temperature before beating. Hope these are helpful hints.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (169477)
• United States
14 Mar 09
You are probably right. I know my first hubby's grandma could not make divinity on a humid day, and I think that involves beaten egg whites as well. We have lost a lot of knowledge as we have gotten modern.
@carpenter5 (6782)
• United States
12 Mar 09
I suspect my dear friend, that the speck of yolk was my culprit. I tried so hard to be careful, and I didn't see any yolk. But my grandma suggested that it was a combination of getting that tiny speck of yolk and the fact that it was rainy and very humid. I didn't know that you should never make meringue if it's humid!
1 person likes this
