Tips & Tricks on How To Make the Perfect Meringue

Ever tried making meringues but failed? Meringues are egg whites that are beaten till stiff peaks. Making successful meringues are not as easy as it looks as if the egg whites come into contact with any oil, the egg whites would not form stiff peaks. So, make sure that your electric mixer and bowls are oil free :)

Another tip is to use egg whites that are cold. I find that using cold egg whites would form stiff peaks more easily. 

Here are 4 easy steps for making your meringue.

1. Crack the eggs and separate the egg whites from the egg yolks. 
2. Make sure that the bowl is dry and that the egg whites do not contain any egg yolks. 
3.  Using an electric mixer, beat the egg whites till it is foamy.
4. Add in the sugar and beat till stiff peaks form. The meringue should be glossy and hold its shape well when the bowl is over-turned. 

Lemon Meringue Tart

Meringues are not only nice on its own; it can also be added to cakes or crushed up into small pieces to be added to ice cream or yogurt. The famous lemon meringue tarts are also a great way of how to use meringue. The sweetness of the meringue balances the acidity and tartness of the lemons creating a delicious balance for the tart.

Pavlova

Meringue can also be served like a Pavlova covered with fresh whipped cream and fresh berries. Another way is to make Mont Blanc whereby meringue with served with chestnut puree and topped with whipped cream.  However, meringue should not be soaked as they would dissolve when in contact with liquid.

Macaron Shell using Meringue

Meringue can also be used to make macaron shells (if you are running short of time or do not have almond meal). Has anyone tried using meringue to make macaron shells? Using meringue without the almond meal would cause the “macaron shell” to lack the chewiness. The macaron shell made entirely of meringue would be crispy instead. 

Meringue Cookies

Meringue can also be made into meringue cookies that are light, airy, sweet and crisp. The meringue cookies also melt in your mouth. These cookies have a nice and crisp exterior and puffy, soft interiors. Meringue cookies are really simple to make as it only comprises of TWO ingredients, namely egg whites and caster sugar.

The standard ratio when making hard meringues is 1/4 cup (50 grams) of granulated white sugar for every egg white. This amount of sugar is needed to give the meringue its crispness. Do note to add the sugar gradually to the egg whites to ensure that the sugar completely dissolves and does not produce a gritty meringue. Cream of tartar is used in the whipping of egg whites to stabilize them and allows them to reach maximum volume. Also, it is a good idea to use parchment paper or aluminum foil to line your baking sheets, not wax paper, as the meringue will sometimes stick to wax paper.

Another key thing to note when making meringue is the temperature of the oven. Baking the meringues at a low temperature allows for gradual evaporation of the moisture from the meringues.  If the oven temperature is too high, the outside of the meringue will dry and set too quickly causing the outside of the meringue separates from the inside. Another indicator that your oven is too high is that the meringue starts to brown due to the sugar caramelizing. If this happens, lower the temperature about 25 degrees Celsius. It is best to make meringue in a dry environment. However, if you decide to make meringues on a rainy or humid day, you will probably need to bake the meringues longer (could be up to 30 minutes more). To prevent cracks from forming on the meringues after baking, do not open the oven door immediately. Instead, open the oven door a little to allow gradual cooling to happen. Remove the meringues only after they have cooled down to room temperature.

Happy baking :)