Meringues are excellent desserts, eaten alone or used as a base or as a decoration in the preparation of a cake or a dessert. Let's see together how they are prepared.
Ingrediants
Ingredients for 12 meringues Preparation time:
15 minutes Cooking time:
1 hour and 45 minutes
- 3 large eggs (egg whites only)
- 675-900 g of Sugar
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
Steps
Step 1. Preheat the oven to 100 ° C and line a baking sheet with non-stick paper
Step 2. Pour the egg whites into a bowl
Step 3. Add a pinch of sugar and, using a whisk, start beating the egg whites
Step 4. Gradually incorporate the rest of the sugar, continuing to beat the egg whites until the mixture becomes compact and shiny
To find out if the egg whites are whipped properly, turn the bowl over your head, if nothing falls, it means that you have done a great job … otherwise, obviously not
Step 5. Using a spoon, spread a spoonful of the mixture onto the baking sheet
Step 6. Repeat the previous step to create all the meringues
Try to leave 2-3 cm between one meringue and another.
Step 7. Place the pan at medium height and bake for 45 minutes
Step 8. After cooking time, turn off the oven without removing the meringues and without opening the door
Leave them in the oven for another hour.
Step 9. When cooked, remove the meringues from the oven and allow them to cool completely
Step 10. As soon as the meringues reach room temperature, they are ready to be enjoyed
Serve them alone or accompanied with whipped cream and fresh fruit, ideal for a fresh and light dessert.
Step 11. Finished
Advice
- To be able to whip the egg whites effectively, all the utensils must be perfectly clean, and there must not be even the slightest trace of yolk. Otherwise the egg whites will never whip.
- If you add a teaspoon of instant coffee to the whipped egg whites, your meringues will have a very good aftertaste of coffee. If you think your kids can eat meringues too, consider adding caffeine as well. The combination of sugar and caffeine could over-agitate them, making them uncontrollable.
- It is easier to separate the yolks from the whites when the eggs are cold, bringing them to room temperature, however, the whites will mount better, becoming more airy and voluminous.
- Before baking the meringues, create a small cavity in the center of each with the back of a clean spoon. When cooked, and after having allowed the meringues to cool, fill each cavity with sour cream and decorate them with a strawberry. This variation is delicious even without the strawberry, thanks to the contrast between the sweetness of the meringue and the acidity of the sour cream.
- If you add a small amount of unsweetened cocoa to the whipped egg whites, your meringues will take on a very pleasant chocolate flavor. Add the cocoa a little at a time, to avoid the bitterness overpowering the sweetness of the sugar.
- By rubbing the inside of the bowl in which you will whip the egg whites with absorbent paper soaked in a small amount of vinegar, you will prevent them from losing volume by collapsing on themselves.
- Meringues can be stored in an airtight container for no longer than a week.
