How to Keep Meringue From Pulling Away From Sides

Anchor the meringue to your pie crust with a simple technique.

From a smooth chocolate cream to a tangy lemon pie, meringue is a favored topping among cooks and pie-eaters everywhere. Yet one challenge of attempting to create a perfect meringue topping is its tendency to pull away from the sides of the pie crust. Not only does this interfere with the aesthetic value of the pie by creating a gap between topping and crust, but it also creates an issue when you cut a slice of pie, as the topping is not anchored securely to the crust and can slide off. Fortunately, this problem can be remedied with a change in your technique.

Things You'll Need

• Plastic spatula or scraper

Instructions

1. Prepare the meringue as directed by the recipe you are using. Use a plastic spatula or scraper to gather the meringue and apply it over the top of the filling.

2. Spread the meringue evenly over the pie filling. As you come to the outer edge of the pie, spread the meringue up onto the crust to anchor it there. Cover half or less of the crust. As long as the meringue is touching the crust all the way around the pie, it should not pull away during baking.

3. Bake the pie as directed by the recipe.

References

• Prepared Pantry: How to Make Cream Pies
• Betty Crocker: Luscious Lemon Meringue Pie Recipe