The Best Lemon Pie Filling Recipe - Our Wabi Sabi Life (2024)

FAQs

What is lemon pie filling made of? ›

A lemon pie filling is the base for a lemon meringue pie. You make it with egg yolks, sugar, lemon juice, and zest, and fortify it with cornstarch so the filling holds its shape when you cut the pie.

What is the best way to prevent having liquid at the bottom of a lemon meringue pie? Don't over bake your meringue! Overbaking causes the egg whites to shrink and squeeze out small droplets of moisture. Always make sure to check on your pie at the minimum baking time.

Why Meringue Pies Weep. As it turns out, undercooking and overcooking can both cause weeping meringue and unwanted moisture on top of your pie (aka beading). Overcooking meringue causes those little sugary drops of moisture on top of baked meringues.

The main difference lies in the ingredients used. Lemon curd typically contains eggs and butter, giving it a rich and creamy texture, while lemon pie filling often uses cornstarch or flour as a thickening agent, resulting in a firmer texture suitable for pies.

Some cooks sprinkle a fine layer of cake crumbs on the hot filling, then top it with the meringue. The crumbs absorb any accumulating moisture, and the meringue clings to the filling. Lemon meringue pie is not one to wait patiently to be eaten. The longer the pie sits, the more moisture is inclined to accumulate.

Cornstarch. Cornstarch is a super-effective thickener that doesn't need much time to cook, although it does require high temperatures to activate. To avoid clumps, mix cornstarch with sugar before adding it to your filling.

If your pie filling is runny, add in one additional tablespoon of cornstarch to the lemon filling, and stir over medium heat. It should thicken in 1 to 2 minutes.

Meringues can crack because of the sudden change in temperature. To prevent this happening, turn the oven off when the meringues are cooked but leave them inside until completely cool.”

Although lemon curd uses egg yolks and/or egg whites, the final product shouldn't taste eggy. If it does, it may mean that you've overcooked your eggs.

Lemon meringue pie is a tasty and refreshing dessert that's perfect for a dinner party or holiday treat. However, if stored improperly, the meringue can become runny and wet, changing the texture of the pie. To store lemon meringue pie, it's best to keep it in the refrigerator.

Can you reheat lemon pie filling? ›

In cases where only the custard needs reheating, it's advisable to separate the meringue from the lemon filling. By carefully reheating the crust and custard in a low-temperature oven, and then reapplying the meringue later, the pie can be enjoyed as intended with minimal risk of the meringue weeping.

Let's peel back the layers of this zesty enigma. It all comes down to chemistry. Lemon juice, a primary ingredient in lemon curd, is rich in citric acid. When this acid comes into contact with certain metals, notably copper or aluminum, a chemical reaction occurs.

While commercial pie thickeners aid the naturally occurring pectin in your fruit filling, pectin from the added lemon, lime, or orange solidifies your pie's interior. Don't worry about the citrus fruit overpowering the flavor of your pie.

Fruit, sugar, cornstarch, acid, extras. These are the only things you need to remember to turn out a perfect pie filling.

If you cannot find Clear Jel, another option is to can the pie filling without any thickener and then thicken it with tapioca or cornstarch before putting it into the pie shell.

It can only be heated once without breaking down. It needs to be mixed with sugar to help it distribute evenly. Pie filling enhancer is is instant Clear Jel mixed with ascorbic acid and superfine sugar.

There are four types of pies: cream, fruit, custard, and savory.