The Case of the 45 Minute Lemon Meringue
Posted by Kevin Broome on Monday, November 20th, 2006Tags for this Article: dessert, lemon, meringue, recipe, secret
It was a dark and rainy Friday night. The Industrial Brand crew was meeting at Mark’s for an indulgent feast of Moules Normandes and homemade Cassoulet. Mike, our intern, was in charge of dessert. Somewhat new to the culinary world, he had left the studio at 4:50 pm in order to get to his sister’s house in time to make a lemon meringue pie. Now, at 7 pm, while scarfing down morsels from the charcuterie tray and washing it down with Beaujolais Nouveau, our scene of revelry was superimposed with poor Mike up to his elbows in egg whites and we began to wonder how he was ever going to pull it off.
But at that moment, the door opened and in walked Mike with pie in hand. It had taken only 45 minutes to make and it was tasty. Really tasty, to the point where we were all begging him to reveal how it had been done.
So dear reader, how did he do it?
It turns out that the recipe for this pie is a family secret that Mike will not divulge (apparently the only way to find out is to marry him, and none of us are so inclined). So we are asking for your theories and recipe submissions to try to solve the Case of the 45 Minute Lemon Meringue Pie.
This is what we know:
The crust was pre-made the night before. (This is not required to get the recipe right but it does not factor into the 45 minutes.) There are no pre-made ingredients (ie. lemon pudding, canned meringue etc.). The recipe does contain lemon rind. This much we know. The pie contains a special ingredient without which the recipe would not work.
Submit your answers in the comment section and we will try to convince Mike to admit to a winner and then wrangle up a prize for you. Whatever the case, we will end up with a good collection of quick-to-make lemon meringue pie recipes. Bonne Chance!
Posted on November 20th, 2006
Mike says:
…just when I was about to blog the same thing…
muahah.
Posted on November 21st, 2006
peter w says:
I married the recipe!!!!!!
glad you enjoyed the “short” introduction to our family secret!
Seriously folks, it’s Ann’s way of saying thanks for helping Michael experience the real world!
Cheers
P
Posted on November 21st, 2006
Nicola Humphreys says:
I know the recipe..haha..and I can attest that Mike did make the pie. It’s a family secret and it’s true you do have to marry into the family for it – only single men left in the fam to marry- so if you are interested…
If Mike spills the beans, then he will be BANISHED from the fam!!!
– Mike’s sis
Posted on November 21st, 2006
Steve says:
Thanks for the recipe Mike! The secret ingredient was wicked. I’m gonna try it this weekend!
Posted on November 26th, 2006
Vivian Garfinkel says:
I don’t know how Mike did his pie but I recently discovered that I could microwave the lemon curd mixture that formed the basis of a fabulous lemon dessert I make once a year. Instead of what was at least 20 minutes (although it felt like forever)stirring the mixture in a double boiler, I made a completely successful cooked lemon mixture, which I imagine could also be used in a pie, in no time flat. If he did that, then the rest is the meringue and that certainly wouldn’t take too long.
Do we ever find out how he did it?
Posted on November 27th, 2006
Bev says:
Corn starch in the lemon mixture and cream of tartar in the egg whites for the meringue? Am I close?
Posted on November 27th, 2006
Lex says:
After repeated attempts to recreate Dufflet’s decadent lemon tart, I’ve come up with a butter-heavy lemon tart filling that is quick and outrageously good. (I’m still fussing to get the shortcrust pastry perfect.)
As Vivian & Bev mention above, if the filling is quick, the meringue would be a quick finish. But now I want recipes for Mark’s Moules Normandes, Mike’s pie and Vivian’s Lemon Curd dessert.
Posted on November 30th, 2006
Saz says:
condensed milk and lemon juice for the filling?
Posted on November 30th, 2006
Mark Busse says:
Mike is squirming!!
I think this might be a VERY good guess folks.
Will Mike be kicked out of his family?
Posted on December 5th, 2006
Saz says:
So, what was the secret recipe? ;)
Posted on December 7th, 2006
retored says:
uhm… the secret ingredient is gelatin. yes cows foot but it’s true, that’s what most professional kitchens use
Posted on December 12th, 2006
Myron says:
The “secret” ingredient just might be Xanthan gum. A pie dough can be assembled in about ten minutes and it takes about fifteen minutes to brown. That’s twenty five minutes. In the interim, you beat the egg whites, and prepare the lemon filling. Chill the crust for about ten minutes, pour in the filling and top with meringue and pop it under the broiler to brown the top.