And I think essentially he is, perhaps with the one exception being if there is rhubarb involved. A rhubarb pie in particular. In which case you don’t even have to proactively bribe him. Just mention the idea that you are making a rhubarb pie and don’t be surprised if he washes your car, takes out your trash, or even cleans out your garage attic. (Thanks dad!) Let’s just say that my father has had a busy week, as I have made this rhubarb meringue pie three times to get the recipe just right. Tart fillings work so well with meringue (think lemon meringue pie), why not rhubarb? I love the tart bite of rhubarb, so there’s not as much sugar in this pie filling as you might expect. Taste the filling as you make it. Remember that the meringue has a good half cup of sugar in it and will sweeten the pie too. Add more sugar (or rhubarb if you want it more tart) to suit your taste. I’ve also included a little cinnamon and ground ginger to give a little more complexity to the flavor of the pie. I’m using tapioca flour (ground instant tapioca) as a thickener for the filling, but you could easily use cornstarch (same amount).
Meringue Tips for Rhubarb Meringue Pie
Egg whites need all the help they can get to hold their structure. Here are a few tips to ensure you have the best meringue:
Cornstarch: Add a heated gelled cornstarch and water mixture to the beaten egg whites. This will help keep the meringue from shrinking, and will make a tender meringue that is easy to cut. (Tip from Shirley Corriher in Cookwise.) Sugar and cream of tartar: Include some sugar and some acid (cream of tartar or vinegar) to help the egg whites hold their structure in the meringue. Meringue at the edges: Spread the meringue around the edges of the pie, before piling it on at the center. This will help the meringue adhere to the edges. Add meringue while filling is hot: As soon as you put the hot rhubarb filling into the pie crust, start adding the meringue mixture to the top. The heat from the filling will help the meringue set.
Then I cover the whites and let them sit at room temperature while I bake the crust and get the other ingredients ready. Room temperature egg whites will be easier to whip into a meringue.
3 1/2 to 4 cups chopped rhubarb stalks (about 1 pound) 3/4 cup white granulated sugar 1 tablespoon orange zest 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger 3 tablespoons instant tapioca or 2 tablespoons tapioca flour/starch (can sub 2 tablespoons corn starch)
Meringue:
1 tablespoon cornstarch 1/3 cup cold water 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar (can use vinegar instead of cream of tartar, see method instructions) 1/2 cup white granulated sugar 4 large egg whites (room temperature) 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Bake for 20 minutes. Remove the crust from the oven. Lift up the edges of the aluminum foil to remove the foil and pie weights from the crust. Poke the bottom of the crust all over with the tines of a fork. Return the pie crust to the oven, bake for an additional 10 to 15 minutes, or until it is nicely and lightly browned all over. Remove from oven and set aside. Put the pan on the stove on medium heat. Stir in the instant tapioca or tapioca starch. (By the way, if you are using instant tapioca and you don’t like seeing anything that might resemble tapioca, just run it through a blender to pulverize it into tapioca flour.) Slowly heat up the rhubarb until steamy. If you heat the rhubarb too quickly, the pieces will disintegrate into mush. The mush will still work in the pie, and taste good, but will look like pink oatmeal. You want to gently cook the rhubarb until it is a little tender, but not yet falling apart. (Note that the cream of tartar is not absolutely required, but as a dry acid, it will help the meringue keep its structure. If you don’t have cream of tartar you can alternatively support the meringue by adding a teaspoon of white vinegar to the egg whites when you start to whip them.) In a small saucepan, whisk the cornstarch and cold water together until the cornstarch is dissolved. Heat on the stovetop and stir with a whisk until the mixture gets bubbly and forms a gel. Remove from heat. Any residual fat from another baking project in the bowl will make it difficult for the egg whites to whip up into a meringue. Place the egg whites and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer. Start the speed on low and gradually increase the speed to medium. Once the egg whites are frothy, slowly add the sugar and cream of tartar mixture, one tablespoon at a time. Beat until the sugar is incorporated an the mixture forms soft peaks. Then add the cornstarch mixture, one tablespoon at a time. Increase the mixer speed to high, and beat until the mixture forms stiff peaks. Be careful not to over beat. Pour the rhubarb mixture into the pre-baked pie shell, spreading it evenly along the bottom of the shell. Make sure the meringue attaches to the pie crust to prevent shrinking. Use the back of a spoon to create peaks all over the meringue.
