I have a question regarding an issue with Lemon Pie filling. I have been searching for a long time trying to find an answer as to why by the second/third day the lemon filling starts to secrete a watery liquid that of course turns the crust to mush? Actually I found a great lemon pie recipe in Taste Of Home and it also starts to separate the second/third day. The only answer I ever found was that it could be a reaction between lemon juice and cornstarch but it didn't give any solution or that this was the positive issue. Well I hope you have an answer.

Have A Great Day,

Mickey

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Hi Mickey,

First of all, good for you for having a lemon meringue pie last more than 1 day! It would be gone in seconds around here. To keep your lemon filling from weeping, you'll need to cook it for a bit longer. When you undercook cornstarch mixtures, the starch holds the mixture together loosely. As the mixture cools, the bonds break and the moisture weeps out. To prevent weeping in the future, bring you cornstarch mixture to a boil, stirring gently. Set the timer for 1 minute... don't just cook until it's thick... Boil the mixture for 1 full minute to "set" the cornstarch and keep the bonds intact after cooling.

Other causes of thin, weepy fillings? Stirring too briskly (stir gently); tasting the mixture with "used" spoons (enzymes in you saliva can break down the starch so always use a clean spoon); the acid of lemon or lime juice (use a bit more cornstarch in your recipe); overcooking (only boil for 1 minute!); too much fat (add more liquid) or too much sugar (add more liquid).

Hope this helps,

Desi @ DVO

email: desi@dvo.com