Delicious Recipe: Strawberry Meringue Shells With Lemon Curd (2024)

FAQs

Why do people add lemon juice to meringue? ›

In simpler terms, sugar binds with water and holds it in place. It also adds viscosity to the liquid whites, making the bubbles more stable. Add an acid. Adding an acid like lemon juice, cream of tartar, or even vinegar raises pH, helping to denature some of the egg protein.

The egg whites help the curd set while the yolks add extra richness, color, and emulsifying power. This is the place to splurge on excellent eggs! Fresher eggs will make thicker curd that sets better, and the curd will be especially vibrant if you use farm-fresh eggs with bright yolks.

The key to thickening Lemon Meringue Pie so it sets properly is to cook the filling until bubbles start to pop on the surface of the lemon/egg yolk mixture. It should be the consistency of thick pudding before you remove it from the heat. If it's not thick before you add it to the pie, it will never set properly.

But WHY did the Lemon Curd scramble? I learned that day, based on the scientific fact that eggs do not curdle when cooked in the presence of starch, and because Lemon Curd has no starch (such as flour or cornstarch), it will curdle when the eggs get too hot.

Use eggs at room temperature. Cold egg whites tend to reduce meringue volume. Never let any yolk get into the whites. Don't overbeat egg whites.

Dip a spoon into the curd then run your finger over the back of it. If it leaves a clean line in the curd, it's cooked enough and ready to cool. Curd will thicken up more once cooled completely. Spoon into a container, cover and refrigerate.

Keep whisking over heat and be patient until it thickens. (Remember: The curd will become thicker once it cools.) If you've cooked the curd well beyond the recommended time and it's still thin like water, chances are your measurements were off and you added too much juice—or not enough egg.

A metallic aftertaste is usually the consequence of the lemon curd coming into contact with a metal (especially while it's hot). This could be a metal whisk, a metal bowl, a metal (or metal-coated) saucepan, or a metal sieve.

If you add the sugar too quickly then the mixture will never acquire the stiff consistency you want. You also need to be careful if you've used extra ingredients to flavour your meringues. Oils (such as those in nuts or zest) and liquids can stop the egg whites from stiffening, so you have to experiment with amounts.

Can I reheat lemon curd to thicken it? ›

Be sure to reheat the curd over low heat while you are whisking in the cornstarch slurry. Remove from the heat and recover with plastic wrap. Once completely cooled your lemon curd should be the correct thickness. This recipe does call for 6 egg yolks.

How do you know when they are done? You'll be able to lift your meringue cookies off the paper easily. They will feel very light and will be completely dry. Remember to bake them at a very low temperature for a LONG time.

What happens if I over-cook lemon curd? Overcooking will cause proteins to bond too tightly, squeezing water out from between them and giving them a rubbery, lumpy texture. If you over-heat the lemon curd, the egg proteins can coagulate and you will see little bits of cooked egg.

If your lemon curd turned green, it likely had a reaction to something metal. Avoid using a copper or aluminum pan as those will react with the lemon juice and cause the discoloration in the lemon curd, and could even cause a slightly metallic aftertaste.

Just be sure to put it in a tightly sealed glass or plastic container so it doesn't pick up any aromas from other things in your fridge. Fresh lemon curd will keep for one to two weeks when stored in the refrigerator in a sealed container.

Yes, but the acid in the cream of tartar makes for a sturdier meringue that is less prone to weeping. If you'd rather use lemon juice as an acidic ingredient rather than cream of tartar, add about 1/2 teaspoon juice for every egg white in your recipe.

A bit of lemon juice or vinegar will also work. Salt decreases egg-white foam stability, so it is not used in meringues. Add sugar gradually. For optimum volume and smoothest texture, sugar should be added gradually, beginning only after the whites have been beaten to the foamy stage (about double in volume).

Lemon juice and milk

This mixture won't be as thick as traditional buttermilk, but the acidity of the lemon recreates the tanginess. If you notice a few small lumps in the mixture or if it looks curdled, there's no need to worry as these should disappear during the cooking process.