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'Meringue' is a type of dessert, originally from France made from whipped egg whites and caster sugar. Some meringue recipes call for adding a binding agent such as cream of tartar. Meringues are often flavoured with a small amount of essence, e.g., almond or coconut, or most commonly, vanilla. They are very light and airy and extremely sweet. It is believed that meringue was invented in the Swiss town of Meiringen by an Italian chef named Gasparini (legend varies in regard to the date of invention, between 1600 and 1720).

Contents

Process

See also

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Process

When egg whites are beaten, it breaks some of the hydrogen bonds in the protein and causes the protein's structure to unfold. This change in structure leads to the stiff consistency required for meringues.
Typically, 2 whipped egg whites and 113g (4oz) of caster sugar are what compose a single batch of uncooked meringue.
When beating egg whites, they are classified in 3 stages, soft, medium, and stiff peaks.
In an Italian meringue, a hot sugar syrup is whipped into softly whipped egg whites till stiff.
This type of meringue is safe to use without cooking. It will not deflate for a long while and
can be either used on pies and baked Alaska, or spread on a sheet and baked for meringues.
Meringues used like cookies are baked at a very low heat for a long time. One name for them is "Forgotten Cookies" as they can be left in a gas oven for long periods of time after the cooking is done. They are not supposed to be browned at all, but they need to be very crisp and dry. Cooked meringue cannot be refrigerated or it will become soggy. They will keep for at least a week if stored in an airtight container.
Meringue can be used as the basis for various other desserts including angel food cake, pavlova, baked Alaska, Queen of Puddings, Key lime pie, and lemon meringue pie. In these cases, the meringue may be cooked at a higher temperature for a shorter amount of time, resulting in a soft meringue with slightly browned peaks on top.

See also

★ Eton mess

External Links

★ Making your own meringues - step-by-step recipe in pictures