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. Egg whites can also weep if they are over-beaten or are from old eggs. Refrigeration (unfortunately) speeds up the process of weeping—oops!

Any meringue topping for a lemon meringue pie will tend to weep after a day or so as the pie needs to be kept in the fridge and the slightly humid environment of the fridge plus the damp surface of the lemon filling will cause some of the sugar in the meringue to liquefy and seep out.

Spread Meringue to the Edges

When you spread the meringue on top of your pie filling, make certain to seal the edges of the pie. Leaving gaps allows moisture to collect and seep underneath, causing that dreaded separation between pie and meringue.

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...

Over whip the egg whites and you risk making them too firm and they will risk losing the moisture that they hold. This will affect your meringue's crispness, as well as making it more likely to collapse or weep beads of sugar. As my meringue guru Gary Mehigan advises: “If you over whip the egg whites you cannot fix it.

Spoon the meringue onto the hot pie filling. If you are topping an unbaked pie filling, have it at room temperature (not cold) before you top it with the meringue.

Fixing runny meringue is usually as simple as whisking more air into the mixture and waiting for it to develop stiff peaks. You can also add another egg white or a teaspoon of cornstarch to get the mix to the consistency you need.

Take care, however, because you also don't want to overcook the filling which will make it very dense, and can even make it start to weep and separate. What causes a chocolate pie not to set up? A chocolate pie can not set up if it doesn't have enough cornstarch, egg yolks, or the filling wasn't cooked to 160 degrees.

A secret ingredient: corn starch

Corn starch is composed of long molecules that it is believed insert themselves between egg white proteins to prevent them from clotting too much while meringue is baking.

How do you fix sticky meringue? ›

Meringues are very sensitive to humidity. They become sticky and chewy. But this is very easily fixed by placing them into the fridge. You can either store them in an airtight container in the fridge for a couple of weeks or you can store them in an airtight container at room temperature for a couple of weeks.

Here's the scoop for ensuring your pie comes out of the refrigerator as beautifully as it went in. To store a meringue-topped cream pie, let it cool for 1½ hours, then refrigerate. Chill it for 3 to 6 hours before serving; there's no need to cover it unless you're going to store it longer.

It can be made with any sugar. One cup of superfine sugar or packed brown sugar is equal to 1 cup of granulated sugar; 1-3/4 cups powdered sugar equals 1 cup granulated. Superfine sugar may dissolve more readily and produce a smoother glossier meringue, but volume will not be as great.

A mild acid will help give your meringue more volume and structure, which means they will inflate more fully and hold the air longer. You don't need much: about 1/4 teaspoon of cream of tartar for every two to three egg whites should do the trick.

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.

This way, if you make a mistake and break a yolk, you don't have to start over and waste any eggs. Fixing runny meringue is usually as simple as whisking more air into the mixture and waiting for it to develop stiff peaks.

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.