Cooking Class Monday - Meringue

It is a new year and a great time to try something new.

I have hatched the idea of Cooking Class Mondays!  Yeah!  Each Monday I will share a favourite cooking or kitchen technique.  Often it will be simple and sometimes it will be more detailed.  Are you prepared for this journey with me?  I hope so.  Here we go!  Join as a Follower or Subscribe to my blog so you don't miss any of these great ideas.

And if there are any bloggers out there that would like to join in, let me know.  You don't have to commit every week but if you are in the mood and want to join in that would be awesome.  Just email me at sgalvin 'at' shaw.ca   Wouldn't it be fun to have a Virtual Cooking School!  Of if you would like to guest post, just let me know.  I would be honoured with your participation.

Meringue Basics

For the best volume, use fresh eggs at just slightly below room temperature. Take the eggs out of the refrigerator about an hour before using.

Use only a grease-free glass or metal mixing bowl. Any fat in the egg whites will inhibit the meringue. Plastic bowls hold oils and therefore are not good for beating egg whites.

Beat whites until foamy and then add cream of tartar. Cream of tartar acts as a stabilizer for the meringue.

If you are making a pie with meringue, be sure to spread the meringue evenly over the filling right to the crust so that it doesn't shrink when you slip it under the broier to toast it lightly.

Wait until soft peaks form before adding sugar. Use granulated sugar. The sharp edges of the sugar crystals helps to incorporate air into the meringue. Add gradually. Beat until soft peak stage for most recipes. This means that the meringue will form a peak that falls over. If you require a stiff peak, then just whip a little longer. Be careful not to over whip or the meringue will become dry and unworkable.







Angel Food Cake                   www.epicurious.com

• 1 1/2 cups egg whites (11 to 12 large eggs)
• 1 1/2 cups (150 g) sifted confectioners sugar (sift before measuring)
• 1 cup (100 g) sifted cake flour (not self-rising; sift before measuring)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar
• 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Sift together confectioners sugar, flour and salt onto a sheet of waxed paper.
Beat whites until frothy. Add cream of tartar and beat at medium speed until they form soft peaks. Add granulated sugar gradually, beating and continue beating just until whites form soft peaks. Beat in vanilla.

Fold in dry ingredients one quarter at a time with a rubber spatula.
Gently pour batter into ungreased tube pan. Smooth to make even.
Bake until top is light golden, cake retracts a bit from pan and springs back when touched lightly, and a tester comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes.

Invert pan onto neck of a bottle or a large metal funnel and cool cake completely. To remove cake from pan, run tip of a long, narrow knife between outer edge of cake and pan. Cover pan with a plate, tilt  and gently tap bottom edge against counter top. Lift pan from cake.

Slice with a serrated knife. Serve with strawberries.












Here is a Gallery of Other Desserts that have been made with Meringues.  The recipe name is a link to the recipe on my blog.


Oeufs la Neige

Meringue Filled Coffee Cake

Valentine's Meringues and Pavlova