Mile High Meringue Topping Food

MILE HIGH MERINGUE

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, combine the cornstarch, 3 tablespoons sugar, salt, lemon juice and water.
• Bring to a slow boil over medium heat and stir until clear and thick.
• Set aside and cool completely.
• In a large bowl, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form.
• Gradually add cooled cornstarch mixture, beating until mixture thickens.
• Gradually add 6 tablespoons sugar, beating until soft peaks form, approximately 5 to 8 minutes.
• Spoon the prepared meringue over your favorite pie and bake in a preheated 325 degree oven for 30 minutes or until golden brown.

THE BEST LEMON MERINGUE PIE

Steps:

• For the pie crust: Pulse the flour, shortening, sugar, salt and vinegar in a food processor until the mixture looks like damp sand, about 10 pulses. Add the butter and pulse until you can still see large pea-sized pieces. Sprinkle in 3 tablespoons ice water and pulse until the dough begins to come together. Pinch the dough; if it doesn't hold together, add up to 3 more tablespoons ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the dough holds together when pinched. Lay out a sheet of plastic wrap and dump the dough onto the plastic. Using the edges of the plastic, press the dough into a disc. Wrap tightly and refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour and preferably overnight. (Freeze up to 2 months.)
• On a lightly floured work surface, roll the dough out into a 13-inch round. Place in a 9-inch pie dish, gently pressing the dough into the edges and letting the excess dough drape over the sides. Refrigerate for 2 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Trim any excess dough with a paring knife and crimp the edges decoratively or press them down with the tines of a fork. Prick the dough on the bottom all over with a fork. Place a sheet of parchment paper inside the dough and fill with pie weights or uncooked rice or beans. Bake for 10 minutes. Carefully remove the parchment and weights and bake until the crust is deep golden brown on the edges and lightly golden in the center, 10 to 12 minutes more. Let the crust cool to room temperature.
• For the filling: Whisk together the sugar, cornstarch and salt in a medium saucepan. Add the lemon juice and 1 1/2 cups water and whisk to combine. Whisk the egg yolks in a separate medium bowl. Place the sugar mixture over medium heat and cook, continuing to gently whisk, until the mixture begins to bubble and is extremely thick. Temper the eggs yolks by slowly adding half of the hot sugar mixture to the yolks while constantly whisking. Add the tempered yolks to the saucepan and return to the heat. Bring the mixture back to a simmer and cook, stirring constantly with a rubber spatula, for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and stir in the butter and lemon zest until completely melted and incorporated. Pour the filling directly into the pie crust and cover with plastic wrap pressed directly against the surface of the filling (see Cook's Note). Refrigerate while you make the meringue.
• For the meringue: Add the egg whites to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment along with the sugar, cream of tartar and salt. Whisk together to combine. Place the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water, making sure the bottom of the bowl is not touching the water. Cook, whisking constantly, until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture feels hot to the touch. Transfer the bowl to the mixer and add the vanilla. Whisk on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form, 5 to 6 minutes.
• Remove the plastic wrap from the pie and gently mound the meringue on top of the filling. Use an offset spatula to make sure the meringue completely covers the filling and meets the crust all around the edges. (This will seal in the filling and help prevent weeping.) Use the offset spatula to create swirls and peaks in the meringue. Toast the meringue using a kitchen torch or broil in the oven until golden brown, keeping an eye on the meringue if broiling, 1 to 2 minutes. Refrigerate the pie until the filling is completely cool and set, about 4 hours.

NO WEEP, NO SHRINK MERINGUE

Steps:

• Mix cornstarch, 2 tbls sugar and water and cook over low heat till mixture is clear -- remove from heat -- in a bowl, whip egg whites until peaked and then slowly add the heated cornstarch-sugar-water mixture.
• Beat until creamy.add salt and 6 tbls sugar and beat again till fluffy -- Pile on your pie and bake in a 350* oven till meringue is gold tinged, usually 20-30 minutes.

PAULA DEEN'S MILE-HIGH MERINGUE RECIPE - (3.9/5)

Steps:

• Separate a cold egg by transferring the yolk between the broken halves and letting the white drip into a small bowl. Transfer the white into a metal or glass mixing bowl. Separate the next egg over the small bowl as well-not over the mixing bowl. This way, if some of the yolk gets in the white, then you have lost only one egg. Let egg whites come to room temperature for about 30 minutes. Beat the egg whites at the mixer's top speed until the mixture looks like sea form on a beach. Add cream of tartar to the foam to help stabilize the meringue. Keep beating egg whites at high speed until they reach soft peaks. When you lift the beaters from the beaten egg whites, the peaks will stand up straight and then fall over. Add the sugar gradually, about a tablespoon at a time, all while beating at a high speed. When you lift the beaters, the meringue pulls into pointy peaks that stay that way. At this stage, add the vanilla, and beat just long enough to mix it in. Using the back of a spoon, spread the meringue over a hot pie filling, first spreading around the rim of the pie and then filling in the center. Use the spoon to smooth the meringue. Make sure to seal the edges by spreading the meringue to the edges of the pastry. Use the back of the spoon to pull the meringue up into peaks all over the pie. Put the pie in the oven, do not let it sit. Use this basic meringue recipe for any pie. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Bake the pie with meringue topping for about 12 to 15 minutes, or until golden brown. Let pie cool before slices and serving.

MILE-HIGH LEMON MERINGUE PIE

Steps:

• Make the crust: Pulse the flour, sugar and salt in a food processor. Add the shortening and pulse a few times until combined. Add the butter and pulse just until coarse crumbs form. Add the vinegar and 3 tablespoons ice water; pulse until the dough comes together but is slightly crumbly. Pinch the dough - if it's too crumbly, pulse in more ice water 1 teaspoon at a time. Turn out the dough onto a large sheet of plastic wrap. Wrap the dough, then flatten into a disk. Refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour or overnight.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough into a 13-inch round. Ease into a 9-inch pie plate. Fold the overhanging dough under itself, then crimp the edges. Refrigerate the crust until firm, at least 1 hour.
• Preheat the oven to 375˚ F. Prick the bottom of the crust with a fork, line with parchment paper and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Place the crust on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until golden brown around the edges, about 15 minutes. Remove the parchment and weights and continue baking until the crust is a deep golden brown on the bottom, 20 to 30 more minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool while preparing the filling but leave the oven on.
• Make the filling: Whisk the egg yolks in a medium bowl until smooth; set aside. Whisk the sugar, cornstarch and salt in a medium saucepan to combine. Whisk in the water and lemon juice and turn the heat to medium. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook, whisking, until thickened, about 5 minutes. Slowly whisk about one-quarter of the sugar mixture into the egg yolks. Whisk in another one-quarter of the sugar mixture until smooth, then pour the mixture back into the saucepan. Continue cooking, whisking constantly to keep the egg yolks from scrambling, about 1 more minute. Stir in the butter and lemon zest until the butter melts; remove from the heat.
• Immediately make the meringue while the filling is still hot: Combine the egg whites and cream of tartar in a large bowl and beat with a mixer on medium-high speed until soft peaks form, 1 to 2 minutes. Very slowly beat in the sugar; continue beating until firm glossy peaks form, about 4 minutes more (do not overbeat). Give the lemon filling a quick stir, then pour into the crust. Immediately spread the meringue on top of the hot filling, spreading it all the way to the crust; use the back of a spoon to make swoops and peaks. Bake until the meringue is golden brown in spots, 5 to 7 minutes; do not overbake to avoid weeping.
• Remove the pie to a rack and let cool 1 hour, then refrigerate until completely cooled before slicing, about 4 hours.

MILE-HIGH S'MORES PIE

Steps:

• Make the crust: Preheat the oven to 350˚ F. Mix the graham cracker crumbs, sugar and melted butter in a medium bowl until combined. Press evenly into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch pie plate. Bake until lightly toasted, about 10 minutes; set aside to cool.
• Make the filling: Heat the milk in a medium saucepan over medium heat until almost simmering. Whisk the egg yolks, sugar, cornstarch and salt in a medium bowl to make a thick paste. Whisk about one-third of the warm milk into the egg mixture until smooth. Add this mixture to the remaining milk in the saucepan and cook, whisking constantly, until it starts to bubble and thicken, about 2 minutes. Continue cooking, whisking, until thick like pudding, 1 to 2 more minutes.
• Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the chocolate until melted and combined. Whisk in the butter until combined. Pour the filling into the graham cracker crust and refrigerate until completely cool, about 2 hours.
• Make the meringue: Whisk the egg whites, sugar, cream of tartar and salt in a large heatproof bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer) until combined. Set the bowl over a medium saucepan with 1 inch of simmering water (don't let the bottom of the bowl touch the water). Cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture is just hot to the touch and the sugar is completely dissolved, 3 to 4 minutes.
• Remove the bowl from the saucepan. Add the vanilla. Beat with a mixer on medium-high speed until stiff glossy peaks form, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer the meringue to a pastry bag fitted with a 3/4-inch-wide tip. Pipe large marshmallow-size mounds on the surface of the pie, leaving a small border of the filling exposed. Pipe another layer of mounds on top in a slightly smaller circle, then pipe a third layer on top, using the rest of the meringue. Use a kitchen torch to toast the meringue (or toast under the broiler). Refrigerate the pie until cooled before slicing, at least 1 hour.

MILE-HIGH MERINGUE TOPPING

Steps:

• With an electric mixer on medium speed, whisk egg whites and cream of tartar until foamy. Gradually add sugar. Increase speed and whisk until meringue is glossy and forms stiff peaks. Whisk in vanilla.
• Spoon meringue onto surface of the pie until it reaches the crust, then use an offset spatula to create a swirling pattern.
• If desired, use a kitchen torch to toast the meringue, moving flame back and forth until evenly browned. Or brown the meringue under the broiler, but keep an eye on it-a minute or two is all you need.

MILE-HIGH SUMMER BERRY PIE

Steps:

• Make the crust: Pulse the flour, granulated sugar and salt in a food processor. Add about one-third of the butter; process until incorporated. Pulse in the remaining butter until coarse crumbs form, 5 or 6 pulses. Add the vodka or vinegar, then pour in the ice water, pulsing quickly as you pour. Pinch the dough; it should just hold together. If it's too crumbly, quickly pulse in up to 2 more tablespoons ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time. Turn out the dough onto a large sheet of plastic wrap. Wrap the dough, then flatten into a disk. Refrigerate at least 1 hour or up to overnight.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to a 12-inch round. Ease into a 9-inch pie plate. Trim the excess dough, leaving a 1/2-inch overhang. Fold in the edges and crimp. Refrigerate the crust at least 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 425˚ F. Line the pie crust with parchment paper and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake until the edges of the crust are just golden and beginning to pull away from the sides of the pan, about 20 minutes. Remove the parchment and weights and bake until the crust is a deep golden brown all over, about 20 more minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool completely.
• Make the filling: Mash 1 cup of the berries in a small bowl with a large fork. Place the remaining berries in a large bowl and set aside. Whisk together the granulated sugar, cornstarch and salt in a medium saucepan. Whisk in the water until smooth, then stir in the mashed berries. Place the pan over medium heat and cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture begins to bubble and thicken, the cornstarch becomes opaque and the sauce turns a deep berry color, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon juice. Strain the liquid through a fine-mesh sieve over the bowl of whole berries; fold the liquid and the berries together with a rubber spatula to evenly coat. Spoon the berry filling into the cooled pie crust in an even layer. Refrigerate until set, at least 1 hour.
• Make the topping: Beat the heavy cream and confectioners' sugar in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form, about 3 minutes. Add the sour cream and beat until stiff again, about 2 more minutes. Mound the whipped cream on top of the pie; use the back of a spoon to make swoops and peaks. Slice and serve, or refrigerate for up to 1 day.

MILE HIGH TOASTED MERINGUE

Steps:

• Beat egg whites with baking powder until stiff.
• Add sugar and blend well.
• Cover pie with mixture, making sure to seal the filling to edge of crust or pie will weep. Brown in oven about 15 minutes.