I finally stopped fighting the humidity in my kitchen

About three years ago, I was working a summer gig in Charleston, and my meringues were a total mess. They'd weep and go flat no matter what I did. I was beating my head against the wall, trying every trick in the book to dry out the air. Then, this old timer who ran a pie shop down the street saw me looking stressed and just said, 'Boy, you can't beat the air, you gotta work with it.' He told me to add a tiny pinch of cornstarch to the sugar before I started whipping. I tried it that afternoon, and it was like magic. The structure held. I was so focused on fixing the environment, I never thought to just tweak the ingredient to suit it. Has anyone else found a simple fix for a problem you were overcomplicating?

3 comments

3 Comments

finleyrivera20d ago

Cornstarch trick is a lifesaver. Also found using cream of tartar helps a ton when it's really muggy.

corap6120d ago

Honestly, fighting the air is half the fun. All these little hacks just feel like giving up to me.

taylor.jessica20d ago

My first few batches of meringue were a total disaster. I get the appeal of just working through the struggle. Sometimes the simple way feels like cheating a real win.