Content

• Ingredients
• To step
• Part 1 of 3: Preparing to make meringue
• Part 2 of 3: Beat the egg whites
• Part 3 of 3: Baking meringue
• Necessities

Meringue is a nice light and sweet mixture that is used as a striking topping for pastries such as lemon meringue and coconut cream pie. It is made of protein that has been whipped with sugar: nice and easy. It's not difficult to make meringue, but it does add a gourmet touch to the dessert table. Check out the following steps to learn how to make this treat.

Ingredients

• 4 proteins
• 200 g granulated sugar

To step

Part 1 of 3: Preparing to make meringue

1. Wait for a dry day. Meringue is made by whipping air into egg whites, giving them more volume and making them light and fluffy. You will get the best texture for meringue when the air is dry, as the presence of water can make it sink. On rainy or humid days, the air contains a higher water content. That's why meringue is easier to make and gets the right volume and texture when you make it on a dry, not a rainy day.
   • If you do need to make meringue on a rainy day, beat it longer so that it does not sink as quickly.
2. Use clean stainless steel or glass materials. Plastic bowls are more difficult to clean and often contain traces of oil and other materials that can affect the quality of the meringue. Use clean and dry stainless steel or glass bowls and utensils to make meringue.
   • The bowl should be completely dry, as even a drop of water could ruin your meringue.
3. Use older eggs. The texture of the egg whites gets thinner as the eggs age. Eggs that are three or four days old whip better than very fresh eggs. Chances are, when you buy them at the supermarket, the eggs will be a few days old, making them probably okay to whip up. If you buy them in the market, ask how old they are to find out when you can use them.
4. Separate the eggs. You can use an egg separator or do this by hand. Since no egg yolk is used in meringue, you have to separate it from the egg whites and use something else like custard or ice cream. The fastest way to separate eggs is as follows:
   • Hold an egg over a clean stainless steel or glass bowl.
   • Break the egg on the rim of the bowl and drop the white into the bowl.
   • Carefully separate the egg halves and transfer the yolk from one half to the other, dropping the egg white into the bowl. Continue until all of the egg white is in the bowl and you are left with only the yolk.
   • If you need to practice this technique a little more, separate each egg into a small bowl and pour the egg whites into the larger mixing bowl. That way, you won't ruin a whole batch of egg whites should you accidentally drop a yolk into the egg white.
5. Bring the egg whites to room temperature. Proteins that are at room temperature get bigger and more voluminous when you whisk them. Let them come to room temperature for a few minutes instead of whipping them while they are still cold from the refrigerator.

Part 2 of 3: Beat the egg whites

1. Beat the egg whites to make soft peaks. Use an electric mixer to beat the egg whites in the mixing bowl. Beat them for a few minutes, until they froth up and gain volume. Keep going until they turn into soft floppy peaks that hold their shape but are not stiff.
   • The egg whites should be in a large and high bowl and the mixer set on medium speed.
   • Whipping proteins by hand is possible, although it takes a lot longer than with a mixer, and it is impossible to get the same texture.
   • If you're making meringue cookies, this is when you need to add tartaric acid and other flavorings.
2. Slowly add sugar. With the mixer on, add a few teaspoons of sugar at a time. The sugar slowly dissolves in the egg white, making it stiff and shiny. Continue to add sugar until you have used as much as you want, beating until the sugar is completely dissolved.
   • Most meringue recipes use 50g of sugar per egg white.
   • If you want a smoother meringue, add less sugar. The least you can add per protein is 30 g of sugar. Add more sugar for a firmer meringue. This gives the meringue structure and shine.
3. Keep beating until the peaks are stiff and shiny. The egg whites will eventually stiffen and shine. Rub a little meringue between your fingers; whisk for a few minutes if it is granular to let the sugar dissolve completely. When smooth, the meringue is ready to bake.
   • Another way to check if the meringue is ready is to scoop the mixture into a spoon and turn it upside down; if the egg white slips off the spoon, you have to beat it further. If it sticks, it is probably done.

Part 3 of 3: Baking meringue

1. Make the meringue before the filling. Letting the meringue sit for a while before covering the pie will help it stick better during baking. Some examples of pies with a meringue topping include:
   • Lemon Meringue Pie
   • Coconut cream pie
   • Raspberry meringue pie
   • Lemon cream pie
2. Spread the meringue over a hot pie filling. Prepare the pie crust filled with hot filling for the meringue. Spoon the meringue onto the filling and spread evenly. Keep going until you have a ton of meringue on top of the cake.
   • Make sure the meringue covers the filling all the way to the edge of the crust. This will keep it from sliding off during baking.
   • Many bakers make a hill with the meringue in the center of the cake. This looks very nice when you cut the cake.
3. Make meringue curls. Make peaks and curls in the meringue by inserting the back of a spoon into the meringue and then lifting it. This is a well-known way of making the meringue look more decorative.
4. Bake the meringue at a low temperature. All pie recipes differ slightly from each other, but most assume that you bake the meringue at 160 ° C for about 20 to 30 minutes, so that it has time to bake and harden without burning. It will be ready when the kitchen thermometer reads 160 degrees.

Necessities

• Mixing bowl (steel or glass)
• Mixer
• Cake recipe