Meringue

[fraggie]

How do u make meringue?! Love the stuff but wud love to make it for meself rather then buy it from the shops

Thanks guys

[Nick]

Loads of egg whites and a really clean bowl and whisk.

If you're using an electric whisk, throw the egg whites in the bowl, with the whisk blades and chuck them all in the freezer for 30 minutes to get really, really cold.

Now whisk em up with about 100g caster sugar. Chilling them down first means they absorb air more rapidly and form a smaller bubble giving a smoother meringue.

Once its really, really, really thick, spoon into a piping bag and pipe out your nests, then bake in a very low oven until dry and crisp (usually 1-2 hours, depending on size).

OR...

For a real classy meringue, do the whole chill egg whites thing, but this time, DON'T add any sugar... beat the hell out of the eggs still they're super stiff and while you're doing that take your sugar and melt it donw with a couple of tablespoons of water.

Keep cooking the sugar until it goes a light golden colour. You've madea a light caramel which is super, super hot as melted sugar can reach incredibly high temps. Be very careful as this stuff will easily take a layer of skin off before it cools if you splash some on yourself.

Anyway, get your caramel and your bowl of well whipped whites, then with the whisk going like the clappers, drizzle the caramel into the whisk blades... the hot sugar will cook the whites as well as sweeten them.

Now all you do is pipe out the meringue as before, then place in a warm dry place to dry out (on top of the oven with the oven on low is good) or , if you want then quicker, pop them in the oven on a very low heat for about an hour.

The difference between the finished results for the two methods is the first will give you crisp, crumbly meringues, the secodn will give you crisp crumbly meringues with soft gooey centers... yum!

[tiggerai]

Originally Posted by Nick

The difference between the finished results for the two methods is the first will give you crisp, crumbly meringues, the secodn will give you crisp crumbly meringues with soft gooey centers... yum!

AH ha! another of lifes little mysteries solved.
Cheers uncle nick.

[Mrs Dak]

Have two egg whites left over from baking session earlier

How much sugar to go with them to make a couple of mini merringues? (or should I just give them to the dog?)

[Nick]

The rough rule of thumb is 1/5 sugar by volume... roughly... I always used to just bung the stuff in meself...

[scottyman]

if you promise to never, ever share (i know posting this defies that rule - but never mind) I might be able to post my recipe for pavlova.

[Kitty]

Originally Posted by fraggie

How do u make meringue?! Love the stuff but wud love to make it for meself rather then buy it from the shops

Thanks guys

you what you cook???? :O ill end up making it, mind you...... get in that kitchen slave