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My neighbor swore by using a metal bowl for meringue, and I was wrong to doubt her
I was trying to make a lemon meringue pie for a family dinner last weekend, and my meringue kept going flat. I was using a plastic bowl because it was clean and handy. My neighbor, Mrs. Jenkins, saw me through the window and called over, 'Ivan, you need a metal bowl, not that plastic thing!' I thought she was just being fussy, but I was desperate. I switched to my old steel mixing bowl, and the egg whites whipped up stiff in about four minutes flat. I guess the plastic can hold a tiny bit of grease even after washing, which kills the foam. The pie turned out perfect, with peaks that didn't weep. Has anyone else had a simple piece of advice like that totally save a bake?
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laurablack14d ago
Oh man, that's so true! My grandma told me to always use room temp eggs for cakes, and I ignored her for years. I kept getting these dense, sad bricks. Finally tried it her way and the batter was so fluffy it was like a different recipe. It's wild how those old school tips just work.
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susan_allen14d ago
Why do we ever doubt them?
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kimblack14d ago
Right? @laurablack it's like they just KNEW stuff. My mom's thing was letting butter soften for cookies, not melting it. I used to nuke it and wonder why they spread into one giant flat mess. That slow mix with real soft butter makes those perfect thick cookies. It feels like magic but it's just... paying attention.
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