The Pastry you are expert in

[Landy]

Hi,

What kind of pastry are you expert in?

I need help for cooking


Thank you very much

 

[Andy M.]

I recommend you tell us your problem and let the people who know about it help you.

 

[jessi]

I need help with a pie (pastry chef in training)

I have been practicing my vanilla cream pie I have 2 problems after about 6-8 pies only ONE has set perfect, I do exactly as the recipe calls for as far as cooking but now I may be "overcooking" the cornstarch to cause the problem, is this the case or is it something else

next problem is the merange although its tasty and tall when i put it on the pie, I seal all edges cook it as recommended at the 325 for 30 min but after it is done it sinks and gets the little moisture drops. how can I avoid this.

 

[LPBeier]

Regarding the meringue, are you adding a little cream of tartar to it? This usually makes it stay light and high. As for your filling problem, I would have to see the recipe to figure the problem.

 

[jessi]

Regarding the meringue, are you adding a little cream of tartar to it? This usually makes it stay light and high. As for your filling problem, I would have to see the recipe to figure the problem.

Here is the recipe please help, now I do add 1/4teaspoon cream of tartar, 6 tablespoons of sugar (slowly) 1/2 teaspoon vanilla to the merange but its tall and then shrinks, an gets those drops of sugar? or what ever it is on top,

 

[madcitypaul]

Jessi, this may be akin to "make sure it's plugged in" but just to make sure, be sure to use fresh eggs. Eggs 4-5 days or older have thicker whites which will give more volume, but can "leak moisture"


Fresher egg whites won't give you quite as much volume, but will be more stable. Also, you can get a negative effect if you make a meringue on a really humid day, that atmospheric moisture can interfere with the stability of the meringue too.

Also, make sure to put the meringue on the filling while it is still hot. THAT heat can help cook the underside of the meringue just a little, and go a little way towards preventing wilting and beading.

And lastly, I don't know what type of sugar you are using, but you may try using powdered sugar. Sugar is hydroscopic. That is, it attracts moisture from the environment and can create beading. If the sugar is not very well dissolved into the egg white, that can exacerbate the problem. So using powdered sugar will really help t dissolve into the meringue, and minimize the beading.

All of these are little things, but together should go a long way in making a perfect meringue. Good luck!

 

[DaveSoMD]

If you goggle "alton brown meringue' you will find some good information. I have the DVD that the meringue recipe and instructions are from and it has a lot of good information.

 

[jessi]

Jessi, this may be akin to "make sure it's plugged in" but just to make sure, be sure to use fresh eggs. Eggs 4-5 days or older have thicker whites which will give more volume, but can "leak moisture"


Fresher egg whites won't give you quite as much volume, but will be more stable. Also, you can get a negative effect if you make a meringue on a really humid day, that atmospheric moisture can interfere with the stability of the meringue too.

Also, make sure to put the meringue on the filling while it is still hot. THAT heat can help cook the underside of the meringue just a little, and go a little way towards preventing wilting and beading.

And lastly, I don't know what type of sugar you are using, but you may try using powdered sugar. Sugar is hydroscopic. That is, it attracts moisture from the environment and can create beading. If the sugar is not very well dissolved into the egg white, that can exacerbate the problem. So using powdered sugar will really help t dissolve into the meringue, and minimize the beading.

All of these are little things, but together should go a long way in making a perfect meringue. Good luck!

wonderful thank you, I am going to try the powder sugar as you suggest tonight, I live in a humid environment of SC so I do believe thats a factor also, I do put it on the pie while its warm and then straight to the oven, I make sure I seal it also, but I appreciate the help. I am a budding pastry chef (student)and I appreciate all the help I can get as I was telling my mom, if these pies keep looking like this my dream of my own bakery starts flying out the window!

Let me ask you this, the filling, what am I am doing wrong? I am cooking it at medium, until bubbly, remove it put a little in the yolks to temper it mix it, put that back cook for another couple of minutes (whisking it gently) and then put directly to the baked crust, it looks beautiful, tastes great...looks like a vanilla cream milkshake leaks every where, does not set, tried cooling it overnight in the fridge then just cooling on a rack..same result, recipe calls for 1/4 cup cornstarch, its brand new too...

 

[jessi]

If you goggle "alton brown meringue' you will find some good information. I have the DVD that the meringue recipe and instructions are from and it has a lot of good information.

Thanks, I never thought of that, I love Alton Brown!

 

[LPBeier]

Jessi, I apologize as I was away most of the day but the help you got was fantastic. One other thing about the eggwhites - make sure they are room temperature before you beat them and that your bowl and beaters are also room temperature and very clean.

As for your filling, I find beating the yolk (also at room temperature) until they are light yellow and frothy helps to thicken the filling.

Hope that helps!

 

[madcitypaul]

Hey Jessi, No problem on the meringue tips. I love good meringue... but sadly, I have never made a vanilla cream pie. So I don't think I can be much help... but... I have made other pies with a creamy filling that needs to set, I don't know for sure that this will work, but you might want to try some sweetened condensed milk in place of some of the cream and sugar.... it's so much thicker, and I would think it might lend itself to setting up nicer than thinner ingredients.

 

[jessi]

Jessi, I apologize as I was away most of the day but the help you got was fantastic. One other thing about the eggwhites - make sure they are room temperature before you beat them and that your bowl and beaters are also room temperature and very clean.

As for your filling, I find beating the yolk (also at room temperature) until they are light yellow and frothy helps to thicken the filling.

Hope that helps!

Ok yesI am so happy I found all of you! I will assure you I am going to be here for a long time! I am going to follow all the excellent advice right now and make tonight's pie! its a good thing my mom does not mind helping me eat the mistakes, she loves me for sure because she just gets a spoon to scoop it with and tells me its good! I will let everyone know how this turns out tomorrow..thanks to everyone so much

 

[jessi]

Hey Jessi, No problem on the meringue tips. I love good meringue... but sadly, I have never made a vanilla cream pie. So I don't think I can be much help... but... I have made other pies with a creamy filling that needs to set, I don't know for sure that this will work, but you might want to try some sweetened condensed milk in place of some of the cream and sugar.... it's so much thicker, and I would think it might lend itself to setting up nicer than thinner ingredients.

wow I never thouight of that an I am going to do that now, I am glad I saw this first, I do have all the ingredients including sweetened condensed milk..thanks for the idea!

 

[madcitypaul]

wow I never thouight of that an I am going to do that now, I am glad I saw this first, I do have all the ingredients including sweetened condensed milk..thanks for the idea!

I can't wait to hear how it turns out!