Chocolate Meringue Pie Recipe - Grandma's Meringue Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Why does my chocolate meringue pie get runny? ›

Meringue pies will ''weep'' water because of the interaction between the filling and the whipped meringue. If one or the other is overcooked, water beads will form and weep.

Always prepare the meringue before preparing the pie filling so it's ready to spread while the filling is still hot. The heat from the filling will "cook" the meringue onto the filling and make it less likely to leak or shrink. Seal the meringue completely to the edge of the pie so it touches the crust.

A secret ingredient: corn starch

Corn starch molecules also provide more hold for meringue. It will be easier to cut and is less likely to weep.

Here's what you can do: Whisk the mixture longer: One common reason for runny meringue is not whisking the mixture enough. To fix this, continue whisking the meringue for up to 15 minutes. This extended whisking time will help stiffen up the mixture and give it the desired consistency [1].

To make a sturdier meringue, your recipe may direct you to add an acidic ingredient such as cream of tartar, white vinegar, or lemon juice. Caution: Don't use a copper bowl if you're adding acid to stabilize your meringue; it will react with the copper and discolor the egg foam.

Partially pre-cook the filling to evaporate its excess juice. Experiment with different thickeners beyond flour — we love Instant ClearJel. Vent the pie's top crust so steam from the juice can escape. For even better evaporation, try a lattice crust or crumb crust.

Besides sugar, there are several other tools that can help in meringue stabilization. I employ three of them in my less-sweet pie meringue: acid, starch, and gelatin. Acid: Adding acid (typically cream of tartar, but can also be vinegar or lemon juice) lowers the pH of the egg whites.

You want to add meringue on top of a HOT filling (not cooled, repeat, not cooled), as this ensures that the bottom of the meringue will begin to cook along with the top and you can avoid a weeping meringue situation. In a glass or metal bowl with an electric mixer, beat egg whites on high until foamy.

The bottom line: For smooth, stiff beaten egg whites that keep their shape, don't skip the cream of tartar. If you don't have cream of tartar, substituting 1/4 teaspoon lemon juice or white vinegar per egg white works almost as well. To avoid meringues that weep, don't skip the cream of tartar...

Why do you add vinegar to meringue? ›

Acid. Whether it be vinegar, lemon juice, cream of tartar, or a combination, an acid will greatly improve the structure of meringue. Acid not only helps meringue whip up and aerate more quickly, it also keeps it stable. Without acid, meringue is more likely to collapse either during or after mixing.

Cream of tartar: Cream of tartar is acidic, and it works to add better stabilization to meringue. The acid can be substituted for lemon juice or vinegar.

A small amount of cream of tartar or vinegar can be added to the mixture at the beginning of whipping to help stabilize the foam and make it less likely to collapse. Don't use plastic bowls—they can retain a film of fat from previously mixed or stored items that can deflate the meringue.

The best way to thicken runny apple pie filling before baking it is to add some cornstarch, tapioca starch, or flour to your mix. To fix a runny pie that's already been baked, simply let it cool to see if it will congeal naturally. If not, you can stick it back in the oven for a bit longer.

The starch and pectin in the filling needs to set. If you add cornstarch or flour to the filling it gels st oven temperatures and sets once it has cooled. The same is true for the natural pectin in many fruits. If you cut the pie before the filling has set, it will never solidify and your pie will be runny.