Meringue, Egg White Meringue, How To Make Meringue, Perfect Meringue, Meringue Recipes, Making Pie Meringue, Egg Recipes

Egg White Meringue - How To Make Perfect Meringue

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Egg White Meringue - How To Make Perfect Meringue

Whipping egg whites are much like blowing air into a balloon. Beating or whisking causes the protein in the egg whites to unfold, forming films that trap the air bubbles, and the sugar stiffens the foam.

A meringue is really nothing but a foam, and foam is a big collection of bubbles. Fat interferes with the formation of a good foam in the egg whites. Fats tend to collapse egg foams.

Age of Eggs:

Meringue recipes work better with eggs that are at least 3 or 4 days old. Thin, older egg whites whip more easily to a higher volume than thick, fresh egg whites. Once whipped, the foam from thin whites is less stable because the liquid film drains more easily from the bubbles. If volume is more important than stability, then older eggs are better to use. For better stability, a good rule of thumb is to use fresher eggs for meringues, saving older ones for general baking.

Don't make egg white meringues on a rainy or really humid day (remember that they are mostly air and if that air contains a lot of water, it will have an effect).

Separating Eggs:

Cold eggs separate more easily than those at room temperature because the whites hold together better.

separating egg yolk and egg white To separate an egg: Crack the egg and hold the shell halves over a bowl. Transfer the yolk back and forth between the halves, letting the white drop into the bowl. Do not cut the yolk (whites containing any yolk will not beat properly). Transfer the yolk to another bowl.

The tiniest bit of fat or egg yolk will wreck a meringue, as fat interferes with the formation of good foam. When separating eggs, if a speck of egg yolk falls into the egg whites, lift it out with an empty eggshell half. Do not try to fish it out with your fingers; the oil on your skin will prevent the egg whites from expanding.

Avoid letting your fingers touch the areas that will come in contact with the egg whites. That way, you'll avoid leaving oils from your hands on the utensils you just washed.

After separating, bring egg whites to room temperature to ensure volume when beating, as warmer eggs whip faster than cold eggs. Egg whites right out of the refrigerator will not whip well. The ideal temperature to whip a common meringue is room temperature, about 70 degrees F. (21 degrees C.). Usually 30 minutes is adequate to obtain room temperature.

A beaten egg white can foam to 6 to 8 times its original volume if the egg whites have been at room temperature for 30 minutes before beating.

Bowls and Utensils:

Copper, stainless-steel, or glass bowls work best for making meringues. Avoid using plastic bowls for whipping egg whites as they can often harbor traces of grease or fat, which prevents the whites from getting stiff. Whichever type of bowl you use, be sure it’s spotlessly clean.

Make sure that all your utensils are immaculately clean, completely grease-free, and completely dry. Meringues are very sensitive and they don't like any moisture.

Place the egg whites into a large, tall bowl and set your mixer to medium-high speed. NOTE: I would not hand beat a meringues (too much work). Beating or whisking causes the protein in the egg whites to unfold, forming films that trap the air bubbles, and the sugar stiffens the foam. As the mixing time increases, the bubbles become smaller and more numerous; this increases the volume and makes a more-stable structure.

Adding Sugar:

Do not add sugar before whipping the egg whites. Adding sugar at the beginning can double the time you have to whip the egg whites to get a foam. Add the sugar at the very end when the whites have formed soft peaks.

I like to use superfine sugar when making meringue because it dissolves faster than table sugar. When beating egg whites and the recipe calls for sugar, Gradually add the sugar, a few spoonfuls at a time, beating the whole time.

As a general rule, add a total of 1/4 cup of granulated or superfine sugar for each egg white.

Do not make meringues that have less than 2 tablespoons of sugar per egg white. If you use any less, the foam will not set and the meringue will shrink.

To tell if the sugar is dissolved when you are beating egg whites for meringues, rub a bit of the foam between your fingers. If it feels gritty, the sugar is not dissolved, so keep beating for a few minutes.

By varying the amount of sugar in the final mix, you control how hard or soft the final meringue will be:

beating egg white - stiff peaks For soft peaks - place egg whites in a clean glass or metal bowl (not plastic), and beat with an electric mixer on medium speed or with a rotary beater until egg whites form peaks with tips that curl over when the beaters are lifted. For stiff peaks, continue beating egg whites on high speed until they form peaks with tips that stand straight when the beaters are lifted.

For stiff peaks - continue beating egg whites on high speed until they form peaks with tips that stand straight when the beaters are lifted.

Once you start a making whipped egg whites, continue it straight through and finish it off. Do not stop halfway to take a break.

The meringue is done when it is not runny and when you can hold a spoonful of it upside down and none of it drops off. Also when you swirl a spoon through it and the swirls hold their shape indefinitely.

Using Meringue:

Make the meringue first - then prepare the filling (such as pie filling).

Place meringue on the piping-hot filling to begin cooking the bottom of the meringue. The residual heat carried by the filling cooks the base of the meringue ever so slightly, making it less prone to leaking or shrinking.

Baking Meringue:

Meringues will become more done if you bake them at a lower temperature for a longer time. Bake at 325 degrees for 20 to 30 minutes. baked meringue

Storing Meringue:

Meringue Pies should be stored under an inverted bowl at room temperature.

Remember, meringue pies only last a day or two, and then the meringue starts breaking down. If you place any cooked meringue in the refrigerator, no matter how long you baked it, it will bead and weep.

Cutting Meringue:

To cut baked meringue into serving pieces, use a knife dipped in cold water.

Questions and Answers:

QUESTION:
I am having trouble with my egg whites on my cream pies. They wilt after baking. Please tell me how to make pretty meringue.

ANSWER:
Meringues are basically egg whites and sugar. Anything made with a high percentage of sugar, always attracts moisture because sugar is hygroscopic, that is, it has a great affinity for water (the sugar attracts water from the surroundings and causes small brown beads to form). Thus, it's not the heat that causes the beading on your meringue, but humidity in the warm air, or a steaming kettle, a moist kitchen, an often, a rainy day. This is particularly noticeable on a very humid day. This is a very common problem with meringue, and is perhaps a good reason for eating meringue-topped pies soon after they're prepared!. When the meringue is out of the oven and has cooled, store it in an air-tight container.

Another important factor in making meringues is to add the sugar very slowly to the eggs whites, beating well since undissolved sugar attracts beads of moisture. Consider using superfine sugar which is finer in texture and dissolves more easily than the regular granulated form.

Also, be sure to place the meringue on the filling while it is hot. The residual heat carried by the filling cooks the base of the meringue ever so slightly, making it less prone to leaking or shrinking.

Use these decorating tricks when making meringue:

Add a cornstarch mixture to help stabilize the meringue.

CORNSTARCH MIXTURE RECIPE
Per 4 egg whites, stir 1 tablespoon cornstarch into 1/3 cup cold water, heat while stirring until the starch thickens. Set aside to cool. After the sugar has been beaten into the meringue and it forms soft peaks, add cornstarch mixture 1 tablespoon at a time, beating to stiff peaks.

Add a piping gel to stabilize the meringue. Use approximately one tablespoon for each three to four egg whites.

PIPING GEL RECIPE

2 envelopes (2 tablespoons) Knox unflavored gelatin
2 tablespoons cold water
2 cups light Karo syrup

Sprinkle the gelatin over the cold water in a small saucepan and let set for about 5 minutes. Heat on low until the gelatin has become clear/dissolved - DO NOT BOIL.

Add the syrup and heat thoroughly. Cool and store, refrigerated, for up to 2 months.

Cream of tartar is also a wonderful stabilizer:

CREAM OF TARTAR MIXTURE
Add 1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar for each egg white you are using. Stir lightly to mix it in. Start beating and when it reaches a nice, soft, fluffy stage (the meringue bends like a bird's beak when beaters are lifted), begin adding the sugar. Use two tablespoons sugar for each egg white to make a soft meringue.

QUESTIONS:
I have tried many times over many years to make meringue. When I lived in Northern PA. I use to bake as a teenager and my meringues were beautiful and big. I now live in southern Pa. and my meringue stinks. It comes out of the oven, huge and nice, but give it 5 minutes out of the oven and its flat as a pancake. I've tried under beating, and over beating, and all types of recipes, but it's always th same. I know it's always humid down here, but this is ridiculous. I've lived down here for 30 years now and it never changes. HELP.

ANSWER:
Humidity affects a meringue's texture. Damp, humid days may cause it to be limp and sticky. Check the weather outside before you start. You can not make crisp meringue on a humid day. Meringue should be made on dry days. The cornstarch mixture helps them hold up under humid conditions, but to ensure success, plan to bake when it is less humid.

CORNSTARCH MIXTURE RECIPE:
Per 4 egg whites, stir 1 tablespoon cornstarch into 1/3 cup cold water, heat while stirring until the starch thickens. Set aside to cool. After the sugar has been beaten into the meringue and it forms soft peaks, add cornstarch mixture 1 tablespoon at a time, beating to stiff peaks.

QUESTION:
I am having trouble with what someone called "sweating" between my meringue and the pie. I made a chocolate pie , put the meringue on top, cooked it, let it cool in the oven (just like I was told) and even cut the meringue with a hot knife (again like I was told) immediately after taking it out of the oven .I noticed liquid between the meringue and the pie which of course made the pie runny. Have you ever heard of this? I can't seem to find out what I am doing wrong. Please help if you can. Thank you!

ANSWER:
Sweating, beading, weeping, or moisture droplets: When water seeps between the filling and the meringue, the pie is weeping. Weeping is a common problem with meringue pies, but it is avoidable.

This is caused by over baking the meringue. When egg whites bake too long, they begin to tighten, squeezing out little drops of moisture.
Meringues will also weep if there's any undissolved sugar. I like to use superfine sugar when making meringue because it dissolves faster than table sugar.
Over-baking also produces a tough meringue. Meringue needs to be cooked to 160 degrees F but not so long that they are overdone. Lower the oven heat and bake for a shorter time. Bake meringues just until they are light brown and dry to the touch. It can also be caused by under- or over-mixing, or too little sugar was used.
Also frequently occurs when beaten meringue is spooned onto a cool filling. Be sure to place the meringue on the filling while it is hot. The residual heat carried by the filling cooks the base of the meringue ever so slightly, making it less prone to leaking or shrinking.

QUESTION:
How do I keep my crust from getting soggy?

ANSWER:
There are several things you can do:

Bake the pie in the lower half of the oven so the pastry is exposed to more intense heat.
Use a glass pie plate - glass does a better job of absorbing the radiant heat of an oven, than either pottery or metal, so pastry bakes faster.
Some cooks pre-bake or partially bake the shell before adding the custard filling.

QUESTION:
Why does the meringue pull away from the crust when baking? Is there any way to keep a meringue from shrinking and “weeping”? I make very good cream pies, but have not been successful in making a meringue that does not weep. Any suggestions that you could give me would be appreciated.

ANSWER:
To prevent the meringue from shrinking during baking, seal it completely to the crust edge with a spatula when mounding it atop the filling. Be sure to place the meringue on the filling while it is hot. The residual heat carried by the filling cooks the base of the meringue ever so slightly, making it less prone to leaking or shrinking.

QUESTION:
My son is preparing a science experiment and we are trying to find out why egg whites won't whip firm when egg yolk is present. We found sites saying that it is the fat the causes this. The next question then, which we cannot find answers for, is why does the fat (egg yolk) effect the albumen (egg white) in this manner? Any help you can give us would be greatly appreciated.

ANSWER:
A meringue is really nothing but a foam, and foam is a big collection of bubbles. Fat interferes with the formation of a good foam in the egg whites. Fats tend to collapse egg foams.