# how long to hold lemon meringue pie before final browning



## jcakes (Feb 18, 2007)

I don't usually offer a lemon meringue tart, but one of my best clients has asked for this; we need to deliver it the day before.  I'm not sure if I should brown the meringue before or let them do it before serving.  I am going to use my regular lemon tart filling, and make an Italian meringue for the topping. I'm wondering if it would weep if we browned it or if it would be a problem to wait and let them do it. Any words of wisdom?


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## chefpeon (Jun 14, 2006)

I used to make lemon curd tarts with an italian meringue on top. I would brown them with a torch, and I had no problems with weeping for days. Italian meringue is the most stable of the meringues. The kind of meringues that weep are the ones that aren't cooked beforehand (ie whipping egg whites and sugar with no heating involved, then spreading it on the tart and baking).


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## jcakes (Feb 18, 2007)

Hi Annie!  I am so glad to hear that; today has been one of those days.  As in, someone who is a CIA grad with 20 years of experience thought that 6 ounces of salt in a gingerbread cookie dough recipe was perfectly normal and didn't apologize when the error was discovered "because that's what the recipe said and you said that only the spices were measured in teaspoons and the other stuff was in ounces".


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## chefpeon (Jun 14, 2006)

JCakes said:


> Hi Annie! I am so glad to hear that; today has been one of those days. As in, someone who is a CIA grad with 20 years of experience thought that 6 ounces of salt in a gingerbread cookie dough recipe was perfectly normal and didn't apologize when the error was discovered "because that's what the recipe said and you said that only the spices were measured in teaspoons and the other stuff was in ounces".


Oh Jeanne! 6 ounces of salt! If that didn't raise a red flag for an experienced professional, I don't know what would! How frustrating!/img/vbsmilies/smilies/crazy.gif


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## stafan (Oct 23, 2011)

Hi all , but can you brown the  Italian meringue , i never tried?


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## chefpeon (Jun 14, 2006)

Of course you can brown italian meringue.......you can brown any meringue actually.


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## stafan (Oct 23, 2011)

oh thanks guys


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## chefedb (Apr 3, 2010)

Browning will make it stiffer and hold up better, also better for shipping and moving. Also you will tend to retard the egg white from absorbing other flavors from the fridge.


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