Kuroshitsuji Desserts Ep. 1 - Lemon Meringue Pie, part 1
Lemon meringue pie. Does it not seem like a Victorian Era dessert? I'm not totally convinced that it is either, but as lemon custards, pies, and meringues all existed by the mid 19th century, and as America and England both seem to want credit for it - let's give the crown to the old world. For the queen!
I only recently started learning how to make pie. My very first pie was last fall, and my very second pie was last winter. They were both pecan; which may invoke more of my background than you care to know. Suffice it to say that I have only seen one type of pie made from start to finish; I have seen that pie made hundreds of times. In other words, it's time to try a new kind of delicious pie!
Although technically, I haven't made that many pies.
After researching for a few hours, I finally decided on this recipe: http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/lemonmeringuepie_86114. I liked how it used so many lemons, having a recent addiction to lemon curd and wanting the custard portion to be exceptionally sour. In addition, the longer cook time (more than twice the time of most recipes) ensured that the meringue would be set well all the way through and slightly crisp on top.
This was the first attempt:
Though overall I think this pie was a big success, the pictures are quite lackluster. The fluted part of the crust looks so-so, but the crust on the whole was good. Admittedly, I took no attempt to garnish the plated dessert, but the angles mostly get my work desk, me, and a lot of distractions besides the pie. So I decided to make another one.
Oh, dear! The meringue looks like craft foam! The first time I used this recipe, the oven was set too high from making the crust - a partial mistake which by now seems to have been a gift from the fairies.My oven is very small, and opening the door causes temperatures to drop dramatically. Maybe that's what happened? Admittedly, I was a bit concerned that I under-beat the eggs previously, and this time perhaps whipped them too much? The worst part is that edge of the crust was beautiful, and the meringue carefully sculpted, but both lose in the face of this pie's drooping top dome. The upper crust was as crisp as meringue cookies, however, and remained so even with days of refrigeration. We ate it warm for dinner, given the fail, hence the loose side. Again, no garnish.
I'll need at least one more try to achieve this:
At least one...