It just takes a little planning and patience to pull off.
Comparing meringue to a cloud is a cliche. Yet pondering the whorls and curlicues of a meringue-topped pie is like seeing shapes in the clouds. A pinwheel? A surfer’s wave?
Its texture is as ephemeral as vapor. A knife slides as if cutting through fog. Like a sky full of cumulus, meringue lightens our hearts. We float, if only for as long as it takes to finish that last bite.
A lemon meringue pie’s sweet froth and tart citrus is a heavenly combo. The techniques aren’t difficult, but do ask for some organization and patience because a freshly whipped meringue needs to go on a still-warm filling to help “cook” the egg whites.
Yet the whole process doesn’t take long once all the ingredients are in place — and frankly, there’s something satisfying about having everything ready at your fingertips.