Meringue is a confection made from baked egg whites, whipped with sugar. Meringue can be served as a stand-alone dessert or used to decorate cakes and pastries.
It is necessary
-
- - 4 egg whites;
- - 1 cup of sugar;
- - 1 tbsp. l. starch.
Instructions
Step 1
Carefully separate the whites from the yolks. To prepare meringues, it is important that no egg yolk or fat gets into the protein mass. If possible and time permits, leave the proteins in the refrigerator for a day. Whites that are well chilled tend to whisk more easily.
Step 2
Transfer the egg whites to a dry, clean, wide enough saucepan or bowl. Lower the whisk and beat the whites with a mixer until foam forms. If possible, do not touch the sides of the dishes with the whisk. For better whipping, you can add a little salt or a few crystals of citric acid to the whites. The whipped egg whites should keep their shape.
Step 3
Pour sugar to proteins in a thin stream in small portions, without stopping whisking at high speed. You can use powdered sugar instead of sugar. It dissolves faster in protein. Then add starch to the protein-sugar mass. With starch, meringues are better stored and remain crisp for longer, do not soften. Stir the whites until they are captive to the whisk.
Step 4
Dust the baking sheet with a thin layer of flour or line with oiled baking paper. Using a pastry syringe or tip pouch, squeeze out the protein cream in small portions. You can also use teaspoons for this purpose. The meringue dough should not be stored, it quickly loses its quality.
Step 5
Leave the baking sheet with meringue to dry in the oven at 80-100 degrees C for about 2-2.5 hours. Watch your temperature. If it rises above 100 degrees C, then the meringue on top will turn yellow, covered with a crust, and inside will not have time to bake. Do not open the oven door for the first hour, otherwise the meringue will settle and stick together. When the meringues are completely ready, turn off the heat, open the oven door slightly and keep the meringues in it until they cool completely. Transfer the finished cookies to an airtight container and store in a dry place.
