Our foolproof meringue recipe.
This is our foolproof mother mixture. We use this method whenever we make our meringue kisses, giant meringues, pavlovas or decorative festive meringues! Our mixture is so easy to remember a 2:1 ratio of sugar and egg whites.
Ingredients:
- 300g caster sugar
- 150g free range egg whites
Method:
Preheat your oven to 200c. Line a small baking tray with baking parchment, pour in the caster sugar and heat it in the oven for 7 minutes. Heating the sugar helps to create a glossy, stable mixture. Pour the egg whites into a mixer and whisk them slowly, allowing small stabilising bubbles to form, then increase the speed until the egg whites form stiff peaks.
Take the sugar out of the oven, and turn oven down to 100’c (leave the door open to help speed this up.) With your mixer on full speed, very slowly spoon the hot sugar into the beaten egg whites, making sure the mixture comes back up to stiff peaks after each addition of sugar. Once you have added all the sugar, continue to whisk on full speed until you have a smooth, stiff and glossy mixture. You should continue to whisk for at least 5 minutes once sugar has incorporated. Feel a bit of the mixture between your fingers; if you can still feel the gritty sugar, keep whisking at full speed until it has dissolved and the mixture is smooth, stiff and glossy.
If you want to make kisses with your meringue girls mixture, spoon your meringue into your disposable piping bag and cut the tip off (about a 50 pence size hole). Pipe out your kisses by keeping the bag tight, straight and directly above your baking tray. Squeeze from a 2cm height from the baking tray and then let go before pulling up to form the lovely peaks.
You can colour the meringues by painting the inside of the piping bag with natural food colouring. We usually do about 4-5 spaced out stripes.
You can flavour your mixture with freeze-dried powders, strong natural essences and ground nuts. Be very careful when adding nuts as the oils tend to deflate the mixture.
Bake for about 35-45 minutes or until the meringue bases come off the parchment paper clean.
As a seasoned baking enthusiast and expert, I can attest to the meticulous details outlined in the foolproof meringue recipe you've provided. The key to a successful meringue lies not only in the choice of ingredients but also in the precise execution of each step. Let me break down the essential concepts involved in this recipe to further solidify my credibility:
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Sugar Heating Technique:
The method begins with an unconventional step of heating the caster sugar in the oven for 7 minutes. This technique serves a crucial purpose—it creates a glossy and stable mixture. The heat helps in breaking down the sugar crystals, contributing to the overall smooth texture of the meringue.
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Egg White Whipping Process:
Whipping the egg whites slowly in the mixer is a critical phase. This gradual process allows small stabilizing bubbles to form, contributing to the stability of the final meringue. Subsequently increasing the speed forms stiff peaks, indicating the readiness of the egg whites for the next step.
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Sugar Incorporation Method:
The hot sugar is then slowly spooned into the beaten egg whites while the mixer runs on full speed. This gradual addition is essential to maintain the structure of the meringue. Ensuring that the mixture returns to stiff peaks after each addition of sugar is a meticulous detail that guarantees a smooth, stiff, and glossy consistency.
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Post-Incorporation Whisking:
After all the sugar has been incorporated, the mixer continues to run at full speed for at least 5 minutes. This extended whisking period ensures that the sugar fully dissolves, eliminating any gritty texture. Feeling a bit of the mixture between your fingers serves as a tactile test to confirm the smoothness, stiffness, and glossiness of the meringue.
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Piping Technique for Meringue Kisses:
The recipe offers a specific technique for creating meringue kisses using a disposable piping bag. The advice to maintain a tight, straight, and direct position above the baking tray, along with the recommended height for squeezing and releasing, contributes to the formation of aesthetically pleasing peaks.
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Coloring and Flavoring Options:
The versatility of the meringue mixture is highlighted by the suggestions for coloring and flavoring. Using natural food coloring inside the piping bag allows for artistic and colorful meringues. Additionally, the inclusion of freeze-dried powders, natural essences, and ground nuts introduces a spectrum of flavors. However, a cautionary note about adding nuts is provided due to their potential to deflate the mixture.
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Baking Instructions:
The final step involves baking the meringues for 35-45 minutes at 100°C until the bases come off the parchment paper cleanly. This ensures that the meringues are fully set and have a crisp exterior while maintaining a delicate interior.
In conclusion, this foolproof meringue recipe is a testament to the precision and expertise required in the art of baking. Each element contributes to the success of the final product, and adhering to the specified techniques ensures a delightful outcome, whether you're creating meringue kisses, giant meringues, pavlovas, or decorative festive meringues.
FAQs
How to Make Meringue Successfully
- When making meringues, always cook egg whites to avoid salmonella poisoning.
- Don't use packaged egg whites to make meringue. ...
- Use fresh egg whites. ...
- Use eggs at room temperature. ...
- Never let any yolk get into the whites.
- Don't overbeat egg whites.
7 Common Mistakes to Avoid When Making Meringue
- Adding Sugar Too Quickly.
- Skipping Cream of Tartar.
- Mixing in a Dirty Bowl.
- Using Cold Eggs.
- Overbeating the Egg Whites.
- Squeezing the Air Out.
- Baking at Too Low a Temperature.
Thanks to the modern mixer, meringue making is a lot easier and older eggs aren't necessary. In fact, older eggs create a less stable foam because the liquid drains more easily from the bubbles. As a general rule of thumb, if stability is more important than volume, use fresher eggs.
Why add cream of tartar to meringue? ›
Cream of tartar stabilizes the tiny bubbles in the egg whites, by precluding the egg proteins from sticking together. It thus speeds up the egg white whipping process and contributes to a stable, billowy, glossy meringue, perfect for cookies, topping pies, and folding into cake.
What are the 6 tips in making perfect meringue? ›
6 Tips for Perfect Meringue
- Don't make meringues when the kitchen is super steamy or the weather is damp and humid.
- Egg whites should be perfectly “clean”, without a speck of yolk in them. ...
- Egg whites beat to a great volume at room temperature or slightly warm.
The cornflour and vinegar that is added strengthens the egg white and make it more stable and you get the marshmallowy centres from the shorter cooking time.
What is the enemy of meringue? ›
No yolks here! Surprisingly, fat is the enemy of a good meringue. Think about it this way: Egg yolks are what you use when you want a dense, luscious dessert like mousse or chocolate pudding. Egg whites provide the lightest, airiest texture you can imagine.
Is cream of tartar or cornstarch better for meringue? ›
Cornstarch: Cornstarch is an excellent way to foolproof your meringue. Use it to create added fluff and keep your hard-won volume from shrinking. Cream of Tartar: Often added in when making meringues, acidic cream of tartar provides lift and stabilization.
Is meringue better with cream of tartar or lemon? ›
The bottom line: For smooth, stiff beaten egg whites that keep their shape, don't skip the cream of tartar. If you don't have cream of tartar, substituting 1/4 teaspoon lemon juice or white vinegar per egg white works almost as well. To avoid meringues that weep, don't skip the cream of tartar...
Why add vinegar to meringue? ›
Acid. Whether it be vinegar, lemon juice, cream of tartar, or a combination, an acid will greatly improve the structure of meringue. Acid not only helps meringue whip up and aerate more quickly, it also keeps it stable. Without acid, meringue is more likely to collapse either during or after mixing.
You simply need to follow just a few simple rules and I promise you will have perfectly beaten egg whites in the end:
- room temperature whites are KEY! ...
- beat the whites low and slow to start! ...
- cream of tartar is your meringue “MVP”! ...
- add your granulated sugar slowly too!
The Italian meringue is the most stable type of meringue so it is sometimes favoured over using a French meringue, it is stable because the melted sugar cooks the egg whites, resulting in a soft, glossy finish. It is most often used for piping on top of pastries and desserts because it holds its shape so well.
Should eggs be cold to make meringue? ›
Eggs whipped at room temperature will get the same result. We recommend using fresh, cold egg whites for meringues. They make a foam that is easier to work with, and the baked meringues have a more delicate and uniform texture.
Can I use powdered sugar instead of granulated sugar in meringue? ›
It can be made with any sugar. One cup of superfine sugar or packed brown sugar is equal to 1 cup of granulated sugar; 1-3/4 cups powdered sugar equals 1 cup granulated. Superfine sugar may dissolve more readily and produce a smoother glossier meringue, but volume will not be as great.
What will happen if you have an egg yolk when making a meringue? ›
The advice to keep your whites clean and free of yolk or other fat is based on a truth: Fat can interfere with the beating of egg whites into a stable foam, and it does have the potential to completely ruin the batch.
How to get meringue to form stiff peaks? ›
Beat to soft peaks on medium-high speed. Gradually add the sugar, a couple of tablespoons at a time, until it has all been incorporated. Continue beating until glossy, stiff peaks form. At this point, you can't overbeat the meringue, so keep beating until you've got those glossy, firm peaks!
How long do you beat egg white until stiff? ›
It can take a while for a meringue to reach stiff peaks and for the sugar to dissolve—about five minutes with a hand mixer. If the sugar has not dissolved (for example, if it tastes gritty), keep beating.
How do you keep meringue from shrinking or weeping? ›
Beat a mixture of thickened cornstarch and water into the egg whites to bind and stabilize the liquid in the meringue (and keep it from seeping out). Cook the filling for the full 2 minutes on the stove top so the cornstarch thickens completely and doesn't start breaking down and "leaking" during chilling.
