How to make meringue Recipe

Soft Meringue

Used to top pies and puddings. The usual ratio is 2 tablespoons of sugar to 1 egg white. The meringue is beaten until soft peaks form, then swirled over a hot, precooked pie filling or pudding and baked until peaks are lightly browned. A 3-egg-white meringue will cover a 9-inch pie. Bake it in a preheated 350:F. oven 12 to 15 minutes. For a meringue containing more egg whites, bake at 325:F. for 25 to 30 minutes.

Sometimes liquid accumulates between the meringue and the filling. This weeping can be minimized if the filling is hot when the meringue is put on it. On a pie, the meringue should touch the crust all around the edge or it may shrink during baking.

Hard or Swiss meringue

A confection or a foundation for fillings of fruits or puddings. Hard meringue is produced by increasing the proportion of sugar to 4 tablespoons of sugar per egg white and beating until stiff peaks form.

The meringue may be baked on a baking sheet greased with unsalted shortening (not oil) or on a baking sheet lined with waxed paper, brown paper or foil. It may be piped through a pastry tube or shaped gently with a spoon or spatula. It may also be baked in a greased pie plate, cake pan or springform pan depending upon its intended use.

When baked in a pie plate, the meringue forms a delicate crust for such fillings as chocolate or lemon and the result is often known as Angel Pie. Meringue baked in a cake or springform pan is often served with whipped cream and fruit and is called Schaum Torte or Pavlova.

The texture of the finished meringue can be varied from dry and crisp to chewy depending upon the oven temperature and baking time.

Meringue baked or, more properly, dried in a preheated 225:F. oven for 1 to 1= hours until a cake tester or toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, will be white, dry and crisp. The oven should be turned off and the meringue left in the oven for at least an hour longer. A shorter baking time will produce a chewier center. For a light golden hue, bake at 250:F. for less time or until the center is done as desired.

Hard meringues may be stored for several months in a tightly sealed container with waxed paper between the layers.

If meringue should lose its crispness, reheat it in a preheated 250:F. oven for 15 to 20 minutes.

Italian meringue

Also known as Boiled Frosting, this is made by beating hot sugar syrup into beaten egg whites.

Italian meringue may be used to frost cakes, as a topping like soft meringue, as a base for frozen desserts, baked like hard meringue or may be poached. When folded into whipped cream, it becomes Chantilly Meringue which may be combined with fruit as a filling for Cream Puffs or used as a frosting.

Poached meringues

These are also known as Snow Eggs or Oeufs a la Neige and are often served with custard or fruit sauce. The are also the islands in Floating Island Pudding, Soft, hard and Italian meringue mixtures may be poached.

To poach, drop the meringue mixture by spoonsful onto simmering milk or water and simmer, uncovered, until firm, about 5 minutes. Smaller spoonsful will not need to be turned over but large ones may require turning halfway through the cooking time. Remove from the liquid with a slotted spoon and drain on absorbent paper. Chill until used.