Meringues

By norsegal8

Master meringue - an easy feat - and everything you've wanted to know about airy whipped egg whites will be revealed. With a batch of meringue, you're ready to bake cookies, shape shells to fill with mousses and creams, stack a napoleaon, top a pie, construct an elegant Viennese torte, whip up a chiffon cake, or make a light buttercream.

Ingredients

• 4 large egg whites
• pinch of salt
• 1 cup sugar

Details

Servings 5

Preparation

Step 1

Put the egg whites and salt in the bowl of a mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Starting on the highest speed, beat the whites for about 3 minutes, until they increase in volume and form medium-soft peaks that hold their shape. With the mixer running, gradually add 3/4 cup of sugar and continue to beat on high speed for 5 minutes at which point they will be stiff. Add the remaining 1/4 cup of sugar and beat for 2 to 3 minutes more. When the meringue is perfectly beaten, the whites will be firm and shiny. When you remove the bowl from the mixer, dip the whisk attachment into the whites and lift it straight up - the meringue that adheres to the whisk should hold a firm peak if you turn the whisk upside down.


TAKING THE MYSTIQUE OUT OF MERINGUE
1. Separate egg whites when they are cold - that's when the yolks and whites separate most easily - but whip the whites after they've been at room temperature for at least 5 to 10 minutes - that's when they puff most prodigiously.

2. Always separate eggs one at a time; Drop the whites into a small bowl so you can inspect it for any traces of yolk - if it's fine, pour it in the mixing bowl; if there's a speck of yolk, scoop it out or, to be cautious, save the egg for another use.

3. Make sure the mixing bowl and whisk are impeccably clean, dry and free of grease - if you want to be super-sure it's grease free, rub your mixing bowl with white vinegar and then dry it thoroughly before you beat the egg whites.

4. Use a heavy-duty mixer fitted with the whisk attachment to get the most volume out of the whites.

5. Add a pinch of salt or cream of tartar to stabilize the whites

6. Whip the whites to medium-soft peaks before adding the sugar.

7. Don't whip the whites past the point of gloss - properly whipped whites are firm and shiny.

THREE TYPES OF MERINGUE
PLAIN: Egg whites beaten with sugar plain and simple; an uncooked meringue that is the least stable but easiest to make member of the meringue gang.
COOKED: The egg whites and sugar are heated and then whipped into peaks; a more stable meringue, often used for buttercream, baked Alaska or meringue pies.
ITALIAN: The egg whites are whipped with a sugar syrup that has been cooked to the soft-ball stage; the most stable meringue and the one used to make frozen desserts and souffles.