Andy M.
Certified Pretend Chef
Man, I love lemon meringue pie! I also love lemon bars and lemon curd! Do you detect a trend here?
I have made the lemon meringue pie recipe from Cookwise, by Shirley Corriher. I don't care or it. The filling is just not tart enough. I've boosted the lemon juice and zest but still not tart.
When I make Alix's lemon bars or lemon curd, the tartness is there and it's delightful.
I've compared recipes for all three products and have questions.
Lemon curd recipes are commonly made with equal amounts of lemon juice and sugar along with zest, eggs and butter. The proportions differ a little from recipe to recipe but the ingredients are always the same.
The lemon bar filling changes the curd ingredient ratios and adds flour and baking powder.
Here is the ingredient list for the pie filling:
4 Tb Butter
1/2 C Cornstarch
6 Egg Yolks
2 Eggs
1/3 C Lemon Juice
Zest of 2 Lemons
1/4 tsp Salt
1 1/2 C Sugar
2 tsp Vanilla extract
2 3/4 C Water
All the pie filling recipes call for cornstarch, salt and water. They act as a thickener, flavor enhancer and solvent (I guess). The lemon bar filling and curd recipes do not.
I have questions!
1. If I left the water out of the pie filling recipes, could I eliminate the cornstarch?
2. What would happen if I used lemon curd or lemon bar filling in the pie? They are both cooked and are thick when done.
3. Even after increasing the juice and zest amounts from the above ingredients list, I don't get the tartness I crave. Could the vanilla be dulling the lemon?
HELP ME. I want my pie!
Thanks for wading through all this I appreciate your help.
I have made the lemon meringue pie recipe from Cookwise, by Shirley Corriher. I don't care or it. The filling is just not tart enough. I've boosted the lemon juice and zest but still not tart.
When I make Alix's lemon bars or lemon curd, the tartness is there and it's delightful.
I've compared recipes for all three products and have questions.
Lemon curd recipes are commonly made with equal amounts of lemon juice and sugar along with zest, eggs and butter. The proportions differ a little from recipe to recipe but the ingredients are always the same.
The lemon bar filling changes the curd ingredient ratios and adds flour and baking powder.
Here is the ingredient list for the pie filling:
4 Tb Butter
1/2 C Cornstarch
6 Egg Yolks
2 Eggs
1/3 C Lemon Juice
Zest of 2 Lemons
1/4 tsp Salt
1 1/2 C Sugar
2 tsp Vanilla extract
2 3/4 C Water
All the pie filling recipes call for cornstarch, salt and water. They act as a thickener, flavor enhancer and solvent (I guess). The lemon bar filling and curd recipes do not.
I have questions!
1. If I left the water out of the pie filling recipes, could I eliminate the cornstarch?
2. What would happen if I used lemon curd or lemon bar filling in the pie? They are both cooked and are thick when done.
3. Even after increasing the juice and zest amounts from the above ingredients list, I don't get the tartness I crave. Could the vanilla be dulling the lemon?
HELP ME. I want my pie!
Thanks for wading through all this I appreciate your help.