Meringue is a sweet and delicious snack. Meringue can be used as a topping for pies, such as lemon meringue pie and coconut cream pie. This simple dish made of egg whites beaten with sugar, is not difficult to make, and adds deliciousness to your desserts. Read step 1 to start learning how to make one.
Ingredients
- 4 egg whites
- 1 cup white sugar
Step
Method 1 of 3: Preparation Preparation
Step 1. Wait for a sunny day
Meringues are made by beating egg whites until they expand, increase in volume, become light and foamy. The best meringue texture is obtained if the meringue is made when the air is dry, because the presence of water can weigh down the meringue. On a humid or rainy day, the air contains more water. Because of this, meringues are easier to make and produce the best texture and volume if they are made on a sunny day, rather than on a rainy day.
On rainy days, try to shake the meringue longer to prevent the meringue from breaking
Step 2. Use stainless steel or glass fixtures
Plastic bowls are more difficult to clean, and often contain traces of oil or other food ingredients that affect the quality of the meringue. Use stainless steel or glass containers and utensils to make meringues.
Make sure the bowl you are using is completely dry. Just a drop of water can ruin a meringue
Step 3. Use eggs that have been stored for a while
The texture of the egg white will thin out as it ages. Eggs that are 3-4 days old will produce better meringues than completely fresh eggs. If you buy eggs at the supermarket, they may be a few days old when you buy them, so you can just use them. If you buy eggs at a farmer's market, make sure you ask them for their age so you know when to use them.
Step 4. Separate the eggs
You can use an egg separator or separate them by hand. Meringues don't require egg yolks, so you'll need to separate them. You can use the egg yolks to make custard or ice cream. The fastest way to separate eggs is as follows:
- Hold the egg over a stainless steel or glass bowl.
- Crack the eggs with the rim of the bowl until the egg whites fall into the bowl.
- Slowly separate the eggs in half. Move the egg yolks until the egg whites fall into the bowl. Continue until the egg whites are in the bowl and the yolks are in the shell.
- If you still need to practice, separate each egg in a smaller bowl and pour the egg whites into the container you're using, so you don't damage the eggs by dropping the yolks into the bowl.
Step 5. Wait for the eggs to reach room temperature
Egg whites at room temperature will expand better when beaten. Wait a few minutes, instead of beating them when the eggs are freshly removed from the refrigerator.
Method 2 of 3: Whisk the Egg Whites
Step 1. Beat eggs until fluffy
Use an electronic mixer to start beating the eggs in the bowl. Beat the eggs for a few minutes until foamy and fluffy, then continue to beat until the egg whites form a soft, but not hard, foam.
- Place the egg whites in a large, high bowl, and use the mixer on medium-high speed.
- It's possible to beat the eggs by hand, but the process will take much longer than a mixer, and the texture won't be the same.
- If you are making meringue cookies, you will need to add cream of tartar and other flavorings while beating the eggs.
Step 2. Add sugar slowly
While the mixer is still on, add a spoonful of sugar until it dissolves into the eggs. Your eggs will harden and shine. Keep adding sugar until enough, and keep beating until the sugar dissolves.
- Most meringue recipes require you to add 1/4 cup of sugar for each egg white.
- If you want a softer meringue, reduce the sugar. You can use up to 2 tbsp per egg white. To make the meringue harder, add sugar. The sugar will form the meringue and make the meringue shiny.
Step 3. Continue to beat until the top of the meringue is hard and glossy
Eventually, the egg whites will harden and shine. Rub a small amount of the dough onto your skin; if the dough is still not smooth, it means you still have to beat until the sugar dissolves. When the dough is smooth enough, you can bake the meringues.
Another way to tell if the meringue is ready to bake is to insert a spoon into the dough and hold it down. If the dough falls off the spoon, keep beating, and if the dough sticks, you are ready to bake the dough
Method 3 of 3: Baking Meringue
Step 1. Make the meringue before the filling so you have time before you have to stick the meringue onto the pie
This way, the meringues will stick together as they bake. Here's an example of a pie that goes well with meringues:
- Lemon meringue pie
- Coconut cream pie
- Raspberry meringue pie
- Lemon cream pie
Step 2. Spread the meringue over the hot pie filling
Fill the pie with hot filling before spreading the meringue, then place the meringue on top of the filling and spread evenly. Continue basting until enough meringue is on top of the pie.
- Make sure the meringue is completely covering the filling all the way to the end of the pie to prevent the meringue from falling off while baking.
- Most cooks pile the meringues up on top of the pie. This way, the meringue will form a pretty effect when cut.
Step 3. Make meringue waves
Use the back of a spoon to scrape the meringue and lift it up so that it forms waves and peaks. This step is quite popular to make meringues look more attractive.
Step 4. Bake the meringues on low heat
Every meringue recipe is different, but most recipes require you to bake the meringue at 325°F (163°C) for 20-30 minutes so the meringue is cooked through and doesn't burn. If the thermometer shows 160 °F (71 °C), the meringues are ready to serve.
