Catalan Kitchen LogoThe Catalan Table
Meringue
Sweet and light meringue, with a crispy texture on the outside and tender on the inside, made with whipped egg whites and a bit of sugar.
basic
dessert
oven
sweet
classic
Ingredients
Servings:
4

Ingredients

  • 6 merenguesFrench meringue
  • 120 g (about 4 eggs)
  • 120 grams
  • 120 grams
  • a teaspoon coffee
  • CAP
  • - little consistent - lost water - must be consumed immediately
  • - Baking lime - Cake decoration that we will put in the oven - Not suitable for decorating cakes that do not require baking because it absorbs moisture and softens.

Ingredientes

    Step-by-step Guide

    Difficulty: Average, More Complex

    • First, heat the bain-marie to 55ºC. Meanwhile, prepare a syrup by heating it until reaching a temperature of 118-120ºC. Use a kitchen thermometer to ensure these temperatures are achieved.
    • We will need a kitchen thermometer. The texture of the meringue will be somewhat consistent, but firmer than French meringue. This results in a very stable meringue that does not lose water easily.
    • This meringue should be consumed immediately after preparation to maintain its optimal texture and quality.
    • There is no need to bake this meringue; it can be consumed directly once prepared.
    • It can be used directly as cake decoration, as it is slightly cooked due to the hot syrup, avoiding the need for additional baking in the oven.

    Not Good for Filling and Decorating Cakes Becomes

    • Decorate cakes that do not require baking. It does not deflate and holds for several hours without losing consistency.
    • To add to mousses without losing volume or creating water, and to combine with butters. Ideal for filling and decorating cakes that do not absorb moisture and that do not require baking.
    • Softens quickly. Ideal for millefeuille.
    • Can be stored in the refrigerator for several days without losing texture.
    • The egg whites must be at room temperature and without any trace of yolk; if there is a small trace of yolk, they will not rise, ensure there are no shell fragments.
    • Strain the egg whites to remove impurities before beating them.
    • Ensure that the mixer bowl is completely dry, without any water droplets.
    • There must also be no traces of grease or dirt in the bowl, as grease hinders the whipping of the egg whites. For the French meringue, it is prepared raw by simply whipping the egg whites alone to stiff peaks. When they begin to form a fluffy foam, sprinkle the sugar over them while the beaters are running and continue beating until you achieve the desired consistency. It should be consumed quickly because it is made with raw egg and loses volume rapidly, releasing water. It can also be baked in the oven at a low temperature, between 80°C and 100°C, for 3 hours.

    How to Make French Meringue

    • Place the egg whites in a large bowl of the electric mixer and begin beating with the whisks at medium speed.
    • When the egg whites start to form a dense foam, add the white sugar by the tablespoonful, one at a time, until incorporating half of the white sugar.
    • Next, add a tablespoon of lemon juice and continue beating.
    • Proceed by adding the remaining white sugar by tablespoons, continuing to whip until the sugar is fully integrated.
    • Once the sugar has been completely incorporated and a dense texture is observed, reduce the speed to low.
    • Start adding the icing sugar slowly, by tablespoons, one by one, until fully combined.
    • When the meringue attains a dense texture, with peaks that remain firm (the peaks do not fall when the beaters are turned, and the bowl does not spill if inverted), remove the bowl from the machine. Using a spatula, gently mix from the edges towards the center to homogenize the mixture.
    • Fill a piping bag with a star or plain nozzle, but not too narrow for better handling.
    • Place a sheet of parchment paper on the baking tray and form individual mounds in the shape you prefer: swirled, zig-zag, heart-shaped, etc.
    • If preparing individual meringues:
    • Bake them at 90ºC-100ºC for 2-3 hours (120-180 minutes). It’s important to note that they are not being cooked, but rather should be completely dried.
    • Turn off the oven. Open the door to release the steam, then close the oven door leaving it slightly ajar; you can place a folded kitchen towel to keep a gap open so the residual steam can escape and not soften the meringues.
    • Leave them in the oven until the next day to allow them to dry completely.
    • If using them as a topping for a tart that will later go into the oven:
    • First, bake the tart with its filling at the temperature and time needed according to the recipe.
    • Let the tart cool completely before applying the meringue.
    • Decorate the tart with the prepared meringue.
    • Return to the oven at 180ºC for about 10 minutes to lightly brown the surface.

    How to Make Swiss Meringue

    • We will need two saucepans: a small one for the egg whites and a larger one for the bain-marie.
    • Fill the larger saucepan with water and place it on the heat to create a bain-marie. Ideally, the small saucepan should not touch the boiling water directly, as we want to cook the egg whites with steam. We can place a piece inside the large saucepan that extends above the water to support the small saucepan. If this is not possible, use the traditional method.
    • In the small saucepan, add the egg whites and sugar. Heat over low heat, stirring constantly, until the egg whites reach 60ºC. It is crucial not to exceed 60ºC to prevent the egg whites from curdling.
    • Once the egg whites reach 60ºC, remove the saucepan from heat and transfer the mixture to the mixer bowl. Add a teaspoon of lemon juice.
    • Begin to whip the mixture at medium speed with the mixer.
    • Keep the mixer running until the bowl is no longer warm to the touch and the meringue has cooled down.
    • When the meringue has a dense texture with firm peaks that do not fall over, remove the bowl from the machine. Using a rubber spatula, gently stir from the edges towards the center to homogenize the mixture.
    • Fill a piping bag with a plain nozzle and the meringue is ready to use for filling a cake or making individual meringues.
    • If preparing individual meringues:
    • The meringue can be consumed directly without needing to bake.
    • They can be decorated by sprinkling sifted cocoa powder on top.
    • The tips can also be browned with a blow torch or under a grill at 250ºC (grill only) for about 3 minutes.
    • To dry the meringues, bake at 90ºC-100ºC for 2-3 hours (120-180 minutes).
    • Use the meringue as a topping for a no-bake cake.
    • You can decorate by dusting sifted cocoa powder on top.
    • You can also brown the tips with a blowtorch or broil at 250ºC (broiler only) for about 3 minutes.
    • This meringue can be stored in the refrigerator inside the piping bag until the next day. This meringue differs from Italian meringue, which includes a syrup at 118ºC-120ºC, and is beaten until the bowl is cold, ideal for eating alone or decorating cakes without baking.

    How to Make Italian Meringue

    • The bowl where we beat the egg whites must be glass or metal (it cannot be plastic because the syrup will be added at 120ºC and could deform due to the heat).
    • We need a kitchen thermometer to ensure that the syrup reaches the correct temperature.
    • Coordinate the preparation of the syrup with the whipping of the egg whites so that they reach stiff peaks when the syrup reaches 120 ºC.
    • To prevent the formation of hardened crystals due to the syrup cooling when touching the sides of the bowl, which can be exacerbated in winter, replace 1/3 of the sugar with glucose or invert sugar. If making a small amount of meringue, ensure that the syrup stream does not directly touch the sides of the bowl.
    • Bring the water, sugar, and a teaspoon of lemon juice to a boil in a saucepan over medium heat. Do not stir the sugar; lightly shake the saucepan if necessary.
    • When the syrup reaches 100 ºC and begins to boil, turn on the mixer with the whisk attachment to whip the egg whites, starting at medium speed until reaching stiff peaks (when lifting the whisks, the egg whites form tips that remain firm).
    • Add a pinch of salt and a few drops of lemon juice before starting to whip the egg whites to stabilize them.
    • If we need to temporarily stop the mixer to check the texture, we must restart it immediately and keep it running until the entire process is complete, when the meringue has cooled down.
    • The syrup will be ready when it reaches 120 ºC (soft ball stage). This process can take between 12 and 15 minutes from when the heat is turned on.
    • We must not exceed 120 ºC, as in that case the syrup would turn into caramel, and it would no longer be suitable for the meringue.
    • If the egg whites have reached stiff peaks and the syrup has reached 120 ºC, increase the mixer's speed to the maximum and pour the syrup at 120 ºC in a thin stream over the side of the meringue, avoiding the sides of the bowl to prevent the syrup from crystallizing.
    • We must keep the mixer running until, when touching the bowl, we no longer feel it warm.
    • Fill a piping bag with a plain tip and we can now fill a cake or make individual meringues.
    • This meringue can last for days in the refrigerator without losing volume or becoming watery.
    • If making them as individual meringues:
    • The meringue can be consumed directly without the need to be baked.
    • They can be decorated by dusting sifted cocoa powder on top.
    • We can also slightly brown the tips with a blowtorch or broil at 250 ºC (Broiler only) for about 3 minutes.
    • They can be baked at 90 ºC-100 ºC for 2-3 hours (120-180 minutes) to dry out but not cook.
    • The meringue serves as a topping for a pie that does not require baking.
    • They can be decorated by dusting sifted cocoa powder on top.
    • We can also slightly brown the tips with a blowtorch or broil at 250 ºC (Broiler only) for about 3 minutes.
    • This meringue can be kept in the refrigerator inside the piping bag for days, maintaining its texture.
    Recommendations & Tricks
    • Carefully separate the egg whites from the yolks, ensuring no yolk gets into the whites to guarantee they whip well.
    • Use a completely clean and dry bowl to whip the egg whites, preferably glass or stainless steel, as plastic bowls can retain fats.
    • Add a teaspoon of cream of tartar or a pinch of salt before starting to beat the egg whites to help stabilize them.
    • Begin beating the egg whites at a low speed until they become foamy, then gradually increase the speed to prevent them from collapsing.
    • Add the sugar gradually once the egg whites are semi-whipped, incorporating it in small amounts to facilitate dissolution and achieve a finer texture.
    • Beat until you achieve stiff, glossy peaks; you can check by turning the bowl upside down, and if the meringue holds, it is ready.
    • If you plan to bake the meringue, preheat the oven to a low temperature, about 90-100 °C (194-212 °F), and let it bake for 1-2 hours so it dehydrates without burning.