meringue (pronounced muh-RANG) is an airy, sweet and crisp confection made with stiffly beaten egg whites and
superfine (caster) sugar. There are two types of meringue; soft
and hard. The difference between the two is the amount of sugar added to
the egg whites. A soft meringue is made with only a small amount of sugar
and is used as a topping for pies and cakes (like lemon meringue pie) while a hard
meringue (presented here) has a larger proportion of sugar to egg whites and is
piped or spooned into individual rounds. Meringues are baked in a slow
oven and are done when the outsides are still pale in color but crisp. While some like the inside of their meringues to be dry and crumbly, these
cookies, because they are made into large rounds, remain wonderfully soft and
puffy, almost like a mini-Pavlova.
To
ensure the egg whites reach maximum volume, have your mixing bowl and beaters
clean and free of grease. It is easier to separate your eggs while they
are cold. Once separated, cover the egg whites and let them come to room
temperature before using (about 30 minutes). Cover and refrigerate the egg
yolks for another use. Superfine sugar makes the best meringues as it
dissolves easier in the whites. To make your own, take 3/4 cup (150 grams)
granulated white sugar and process in your food processor until very fine.
There are a few
things to keep in mind when making meringue cookies. The standard ratio
when making hard meringues is 1/4 cup (50 grams) of granulated white sugar for
every egg white. This amount of sugar is needed to give the meringue its
crispness. Adding the sugar gradually to the egg whites ensures that the
sugar completely dissolves and does not produce a gritty meringue. Cream of tartar is
used in the whipping of egg whites to stabilize them and allows them to reach
maximum volume. Also, it is a good idea to use parchment paper or aluminum foil
to line your baking sheets, not wax paper, as the meringue will sometimes
stick to wax paper.
Baking the
meringues in a slow oven allows for gradual evaporation of the moisture
from the meringues. If the oven temperature is too high, the
outside of the meringue will dry and set too quickly. You will also notice
that the outside of the
meringue separates from the inside. Another indicator that your
oven is too high is when the
meringue starts to brown which causes the
sugar to caramelize. If this happens, lower the temperature about 25 degrees F. If you
decide to make
meringues on a rainy or humid day, you will probably have to bake the
meringues longer (could be up to 30 minutes more) than on a dry day. Lastly, to prevent cracking of the meringues, do not open the oven door during
the first half of the baking time.
Preheat oven to 200 degrees F (105 degrees C) and place the rack in the center of your oven. Line
a baking sheet with parchment paper. You can form the cookies with a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2 inch (1.25 cm)
plain tip, or just use two spoons.
In the bowl of
your electric mixer, with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites on
low-medium speed until foamy. Add the cream of tartar and continue to beat
the whites until they hold soft peaks. Add the sugar, a little at a time,
and continue to beat until the meringue holds very stiff peaks.
Note: The
meringue is done when it holds stiff peaks and when you rub a little between
your thumb and index finger it does not feel gritty. If it feels gritty
the sugar has not fully dissolved so keep beating until it feels smooth between
your fingers.
Before
placing the cookies on the cookie sheet, place a little of the meringue on the
underside of each corner of the parchment paper. This will prevent the paper from sliding. Transfer
the meringue to a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2 inch (1.25 cm) tip. Pipe 2
1/2 inch (6 cm) rounds of meringue in rows on the prepared
baking sheet.
Alternatively, spoon mounds of meringue, using two spoons, onto the prepared
sheets. Sprinkle with a few shaved almonds, if desired.
Bake the meringues
for approximately 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 hours, rotating the baking sheet from front
to back (about half way through) to ensure even baking.
The meringues are done when they are pale in color and fairly crisp. Turn off the oven, open the door a crack, and leave the meringues in the oven to
finish drying overnight.
3/4 cup (150 grams) superfine or caster
sugar (if you don't have superfine sugar simply
take granulated white sugar and process it for about 30 seconds in a
food processor)
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