CPM CPM Custard & Cream Pie Techniques 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Key lime pie's classic filling sets firm primarily due to which chemical reaction?
- Acid from lime juice coagulates the egg yolks and condensed milk proteins (Correct answer)
- Gelatin added to the filling
- Baking causes egg proteins to set
- Sugar crystallization
Correct answer: Acid from lime juice coagulates the egg yolks and condensed milk proteins
The citric acid in lime juice causes the proteins in egg yolks and sweetened condensed milk to partially coagulate, thickening the filling without cooking.
Question 2: What is the correct procedure for tempering eggs when making a stovetop custard filling?
- Slowly whisk hot liquid into the eggs before adding to the pot (Correct answer)
- Add eggs directly to boiling liquid and stir quickly
- Beat eggs with cold liquid first, then heat
- Add eggs to the pot before heating begins
Correct answer: Slowly whisk hot liquid into the eggs before adding to the pot
Tempering means gradually whisking hot liquid into eggs to raise their temperature slowly, preventing scrambling when they are added to the pot.
Question 3: A blind-baked shell is required for which type of pie filling?
- No-bake or stovetop-cooked cream fillings (Correct answer)
- Fresh fruit fillings baked together with the crust
- Dense nut-based fillings
- Custard poured into raw dough
Correct answer: No-bake or stovetop-cooked cream fillings
Cream and pudding fillings that are cooked separately require a fully pre-baked (blind-baked) shell since they don't go back in the oven.
Question 4: What causes a custard filling to curdle (become grainy or lumpy) during stovetop cooking?
- Overheating past the egg protein coagulation point (Correct answer)
- Adding too much sugar
- Using whole milk instead of cream
- Insufficient stirring in the early stages
Correct answer: Overheating past the egg protein coagulation point
Overheating causes egg proteins to tighten and clump, resulting in a grainy, curdled texture instead of a smooth custard.
Question 5: Which stabilizer is most commonly used in a professional setting to keep whipped cream toppings firm on cream pies during display?
- Gelatin or cream stabilizer powder (Correct answer)
- Cornstarch
- Egg whites
- Butter
Correct answer: Gelatin or cream stabilizer powder
A small amount of dissolved gelatin or a commercial cream stabilizer prevents whipped cream from weeping and losing volume over time.
Question 6: In a coconut cream pie, toasting the coconut before adding it to the filling primarily serves which purpose?
- Enhances flavor through the Maillard reaction and reduces moisture (Correct answer)
- Increases the thickening power of the coconut
- Makes the coconut food-safe
- Lightens the color of the filling
Correct answer: Enhances flavor through the Maillard reaction and reduces moisture
Toasting develops richer, nuttier flavor via the Maillard reaction and also removes some moisture that could thin the filling.
CPM CPM Custard & Cream Pie Techniques 2
Key lime pie's classic filling sets firm primarily due to which chemical reaction?