Sky High (Lemon Meringue) Pie, April 2008, page 48

[throwdini]

Here's my e-mail to the CAH. If anyone reading this can solve the problem... I'm listening.

"The Lemon Meringe Pie recipe in Issue 68 April 2008 has a flaw in the custard recipe. I made it twice following the recipe and instructions exactly and the results were an unset lemon soup. Please test the recipe yourself and let me know where I could have gone wrong or if there is something missing, perhaps a thickener like cornstarch, that should have been in there."

[cjs]

Welcome to the forum!

Playing the devil's advocate here -

did the filling set up 'in the center' before you removed from oven?

did you allow the pie to 'set' for the '6 hours or overight'?

That many eggs plus the yolks, you'd think the pudding would set up...

[throwdini]

Yes to everything. I even checked the oven temperature with two oven thermometers. Situation remains unsolved. I think it's because there wasn't a thickener like cornstarch. Another such recipe cooked the filling in a sauce pot until thickened instead of baking it and the results were perfect. I was experimenting with the CAH recipe to see if there would be any significant difference, UNFORTUNATELY there was but I still want to know if something is wrong with the recipe. So, has anyone tried that recipe and did it work?

[pjcooks]

Welcome, throwdini! I was planning on making this for my Dad for Father's day, I should do a trial run first, I guess!

I did try the pineapple meringue pie. It was very good, but I had trouble with it setting up as well. I need to revisit that one.

Thanks for the heads up, now I want to troubleshoot. Need to find the time to work it into my schedule before June.

PJ

[throwdini]

Shucks, I hope this isn't a duplicate, I forgot if i hit send already, anyway
Hello PJ:
As a foodie I'm always searching for the ultimate/perfect anything recipe. The CAH recipe was a disappointment considering the one a few days ago from Cuisinart's Stand Mixer recipe book was almost perfect. It used a cooked custard on the stove top versus CAH's baked custard. There was a very small amount of weepage at the custard/whites interface but much less than I've ever had before. I had a little trouble getting the whites to come together in the Cuisinart recipe but eventually they came together and the pie was near perfect. If you want me to share that recipe with you let me know.
Throwdini

[DFen911]

This intriques me as I have done various curd type pies. I have one recipe that uses cornstarch as a thickener. This particular recipe was never one of my favorites.

The other uses extra yolks, much like the recipe in the magazine. The other thing I noticed was the cream addition. This too will acted as a thickener. However the biggest thing I noticed was they do not have you cooking the mixture over a bain marie first (water bath). I have always done this. I then strain thru a chinios and pour into a precooked pie crust and bake for about 10 minutes for the curd to fully firm up.

Odd that this recipe doesn't have you do that.

[farnfam]

Hi throwdini, welcome and yes, I would love to see the Cusinart recipe. Does it have to be made in a stand mixer?
Cis
Empress for Life

[throwdini]

Wait, I'll be right back. I'm going out to buy the cheapest chain-store super market pre-fabricated lemon meringue pie and smash myself in the face with it. If it doesn't weep and the curd doesn't slop down my shirt I'll go back and ask for the recipe.
TGT

[pjcooks]

PJ

[cjs]

I didn't get my lemon fix on Mother's day - need to see this one also. Guess it would be in my booklet also, tho. Now where's the booklet.