Meringues
This Gluten free and beautiful kind of pastry is a delight, not only during a hot summer weather but all year round. You can make nests and fill them with cream Chantilly or crème pât and add your favorite mix of berries, or just enjoy a plain homemade meringue.
Before starting making these meringues, please read the 13 golden rules in the preparation part of this recipe.
Ingredients
1/2 cups Egg whites
2/3 cups Caster sugar
1/2 cups Powdered sugar, Sifted
1 sprig Vanilla bean
1/4 tsps Cream of tartar
Preparation
Please read the 13 golden rules below, before preparing this recipe.
Pre- heat oven at 305 ºF
1.- Prepare a pastry bag with a star decorating tip and lined two baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside
2.- In a clean and degreased stand mixer bowl add the egg whites follow by the cream of tartar, caster and powdered sugar. Mix gradually increasing the speed to maximum and beat for 4 minutes.
3.- Scrape the vanilla from the vanilla bean, add it to the mix and lower the speed to low and beat for 7 minutes. You can add food gel color if you want at this point.
4.- Pour the meringue into the pastry bag and piped the meringues leaving 2-3 inches in between each meringue.
5.- Bake for 30-35 minutes until they start to golden in the bottom and are firm to the touch.
6.- Transfer them to a cooling rack and when cool you can put them in a sealed tight container.
MERINGUE GOLDEN RULES
1.- Use the best quality and fresh ingredients possible. I like to use fresh cage free organic eggs.
2.- Always check the expiration date of your eggs and take the eggs 10 minutes before you will prepare the meringues.
3.- Separate the egg whites one at a time, and don’t let any yolk or egg shells fall on the egg whites.
4.- Be sure your bowl and utensils are clean and grease free. I like to have a mixer bowl and spatulas that I only use when I will be mounting egg whites.
5.- Give a vinegar wash to your bowl and pad it dry with a clean paper towel to be sure there is no grease.
6.- Weight your ingredients for more accuracy.
7.- Calibrate your oven, so your baking temperature is accurate and check the altitude of the place you live and make changes on baking time and temperature accordingly. Check online altitude elevation charts and for oven calibration thermometers.
8.- Line your baking trays with parchment paper, prepare the pastry bags with the decorating tip and have cooling racks ready.
10.- You can use different decorating tips to add texture and make different shapes of meringues. I use the decorating tip #807 for basic shaped meringues.
11.- You can brush the inside of the pastry bag with food gel color for colorful meringues and topped them with your favorite sprinkles.
12.- Try not to boil water or cook greasy food at the same time you will prepare the meringue.
13.- Store the meringues in a sealed tight container in a cool dry place for up to three weeks.
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