MERINGUES WITH PRALINE CREAM RECIPE - TOM KERRIDGE (2024)

FAQs

What are the three rules for making a successful meringue? ›

Cornstarch: Cornstarch is an excellent way to foolproof your meringue. Use it to create added fluff and keep your hard-won volume from shrinking. Cream of Tartar: Often added in when making meringues, acidic cream of tartar provides lift and stabilization.

The pasteurization process can prevent egg whites from forming a stable meringue. We recommend fresh eggs over "liquid egg whites previously packaged" for better volume. Use fresh egg whites. Old egg whites tend to collapse when other ingredients are folded in, and they don't rise well in the oven.

Acid. Whether it be vinegar, lemon juice, cream of tartar, or a combination, an acid will greatly improve the structure of meringue. Acid not only helps meringue whip up and aerate more quickly, it also keeps it stable. Without acid, meringue is more likely to collapse either during or after mixing.

Gradually add the sugar – It's important to add the sugar only a little bit at a time (a couple of tablespoons); adding it slowly ensures that the sugar gets absorbed into the egg whites and eliminates a gritty texture, and also reduces the chances of the meringue collapsing and failing to reach stiff peaks (this can ...

It can be made with any sugar. One cup of superfine sugar or packed brown sugar is equal to 1 cup of granulated sugar; 1-3/4 cups powdered sugar equals 1 cup granulated. Superfine sugar may dissolve more readily and produce a smoother glossier meringue, but volume will not be as great.

Caster sugar is the usual option for meringues – the small grains dissolve easily in the foamy mixture.

For smooth, stiff beaten egg whites that keep their shape, don't skip the cream of tartar. If you don't have cream of tartar, substituting 1/4 teaspoon lemon juice or white vinegar per egg white works almost as well. To avoid meringues that weep, don't skip the cream of tartar...

When making meringue, should eggs be cold or room temperature? Egg whites for meringue should be at room temperature. Also, be sure that the bowl and beaters are clean, and free from any trace of fat or egg yolk - the slightest bit of yolk will prevent the whites from whipping properly.

How do you know when to stop whisking meringue? ›

If you need your meringue to have stiff peaks, you whisk it until the little peaks stand straight up from the whisk when you lift it out of the bowl, and the meringue doesn't fall out of the bowl when you turn it upside down.

While getting some egg whites with your yolks shouldn't impact your recipe too severely, getting egg yolks in egg whites can ruin your delicate French macarons and smooth meringues because the fat from the yolk minimizes the egg white's ability to fluff into stiff peaks.

To make a sturdier meringue, your recipe may direct you to add an acidic ingredient such as cream of tartar, white vinegar, or lemon juice. Caution: Don't use a copper bowl if you're adding acid to stabilize your meringue; it will react with the copper and discolor the egg foam.

Over whip the egg whites and you risk making them too firm and they will risk losing the moisture that they hold. This will affect your meringue's crispness, as well as making it more likely to collapse or weep beads of sugar. As my meringue guru Gary Mehigan advises: “If you over whip the egg whites you cannot fix it.

Baking powder is a leavening agent that is used to give baked goods a light, fluffy texture. When added to meringue, it helps to aerate the egg whites and gives the meringue a light, airy texture.

There are three basic types of meringue: French, Swiss, and Italian. While they all use egg whites as the primary ingredient, each style has its unique preparation method that affects its texture and taste.

But not all meringues are the same. There are in fact three major types: French, Swiss, and Italian. The distinction depends on how the key ingredients — egg whites and sugar — are combined and whether any heat is involved in the process.

There are several types of meringue, with the three most common being French, Swiss and Italian. Each type varies based on preparation, texture and stability. Knowing the difference between the meringues will help you understand when to use each recipe in your baking.

3 Different Types of Meringues

Although they're all made with egg whites and sugar beaten until stiff peaks form, the three types of meringue recipes—Italian, Swiss, and French—differ in how and when heat is incorporated for stabilization.