Meringue

rom Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

For the Dominican folk dance and music, see Merengue (dance). For the Haitian folk music, see Méringue.

Meringue with whipped cream.

Meringue (pronounced /məˈræŋ/^[1]) is a type of dessert made from whipped egg whites and sugar. Some meringue recipes call for adding a binding agent such as cream of tartar or the cornstarch found in confectioner's sugar. Meringues are often flavoured with vanilla and a small amount of almond or coconut extract. They are light, airy and sweet.

Contents [hide] 1 History 2 Type of meringue 3 Chemistry 4 Uses 5 Meringue tart 6 Nutritional content 7 Notes 8 External links

[edit] History

The notion that meringue was invented in the Swiss town of Meiringen^[2] by an Italian chef named Gasparini is contested. It is more probable that the name meringue for this confection first appeared in print in François Massialot's cookbook of 1692.^[3] The word meringue first appeared in English in 1706 in an English translation of Massialot's book. Two considerably earlier seventeenth-century English manuscript books of recipes give instructions for confections that are recognizable as meringue, though called "white biskit bread" in the book of recipes started in 1604 by Lady Elinor Fettiplace (c. 1570 - c. 1647) of Appleton in Berkshire (now in Oxfordshire),^[4] or called "pets" in the manuscript of collected recipes written by Lady Rachel Fane (1612/13 - 1680), of Knole, Kent.^[5] Slowly baked meringues are still referred to as "pets" (meaning farts in French) in the Loire region in France due to their light and fluffy texture.^[6]

[edit] Type of meringue

There are several types of meringue, the sweetened, uncooked beaten egg whites that form the "islands" of Floating Island (also known in French as île flottante), the partly cooked toppings of lemon meringue pie and other meringue-topped desserts, and the classic dry featherweight meringue. Different preparation techniques produce these results.

• French meringue is the method best known to home cooks. Fine white sugar is beaten into egg whites.
• Italian meringue is made with boiling sugar syrup, instead of caster sugar. This leads to a much more stable soft meringue which can be used in various pastries without collapsing. In an Italian meringue, a hot sugar syrup is whipped into softly whipped egg whites till stiff. This type of meringue is safe to use without cooking. It will not deflate for a long while and can be either used on pies and Baked Alaska, or spread on a sheet and baked for meringues.
• Swiss meringue is whisked over a bain-marie to warm the egg whites, and then whisked steadily until it cools. It is then baked.

[edit] Chemistry

Beaten egg whites

When egg whites are beaten, some of the hydrogen bonds in the protein break, causing the protein's structure to unfold. This change in structure leads to the stiff consistency required for meringues. The use of a copper bowl, or the addition of cream of tartar is required to additionally denature the proteins to create the firm peaks, otherwise the whites will not be firm.
When beating egg whites, they are classified in three stages according to the peaks they form when the beater is lifted: soft, firm, and stiff peaks.
Sugar substitutes are not useful in meringue. The sugar is necessary to the structure.
Egg whites and sugar are both hygroscopic (water-attracting) chemicals. Consequently, meringue becomes soggy when refrigerated or stored in a high-humidity environment. This quality also explains the problem called "weeping" or "sweating", in which beads of moisture form on all surfaces of the meringue. Sweating is a particular problem for French meringues in which the granulated sugar is inadequately dissolved in the egg whites, and for high-moisture pie fillings.

[edit] Uses

Three meringue mushrooms standing on a table. Each mushroom was made from two stiff, dry, baked pieces of meringue that were attached with a small amount of melted chocolate. The realistic "dirty" color is created by sprinkling it with cocoa powder.

Meringues eaten like biscuits are baked at a very low heat for a long time.^[7] One name for them is "Forgotten Cookies"^[8] as they can be left in a gas oven for long periods of time after the cooking is done. They are not supposed to be "tanned" at all, but they need to be very crisp and dry. They will keep for at least a week if stored in an airtight container.
Meringue can be used as the basis for various other desserts including angel food cake, pavlova, Baked Alaska, Queen of Puddings, Key lime pie, Eton mess and lemon meringue pie. In these cases, the meringue may be cooked at a higher temperature for a shorter amount of time, resulting in a soft meringue with slightly browned peaks on top.
Another dish is "Meringue de Angel", which consists of shortbread biscuits layered with meringue and lemon curd, topped off with drizzled lemon glaze. Variations include raspberries, peaches, mangos, blueberries, blackberries, pineapple, papayas, honeydew, oranges, cantaloupe, or cherries and strawberries.
Meringue may be used for decoration. It can be formed into whimsical shapes, like mushrooms, or piped into a crisp basket that is baked and filled later with cake, fruit, or flowers.

[edit] Meringue tart

Meringue tart.

This section requires expansion.

A meringue tart is a sponge cake covered with meringue.

[edit] Nutritional content

Meringue is a fat-free food, because the presence of even small amounts of fat before the meringue is baked causes the beaten egg whites to collapse. The principal nutritional components are high-quality protein from the egg whites and simple carbohydrates from the refined sugar.
People who have an egg allergy or egg white intolerance are generally unable to eat meringue.

[edit] Notes

1. ^ William R Trumble, Angus Stevenson, ed (2002). "meringue". Shorter Oxford English Dictionary. 1 (fifth ed.). Oxford: Oxford University Press. pp. 1751. ISBN 0198605757.
2. ^ The Oxford English Dictionary states that the French word is of unknown origin.
3. ^ Massialot, Nouvelle instruction pour les confitures, les liqueurs et les fruits, (Paris, Charles de Sercy), 1692, noted by Muster (ref.).
4. ^ John Spurling produced a three-volume, typescript transcription of Lady Fettiplace’s book (Bristol:Stuart Press) 1994, noted by Muster (ref.).
5. ^ Cited in Michael Barry, Old English Recipes, (Jarrod) 1995:64f from the manuscript archived at the Centre for Kentish Studies, Maidstone, Kent.
6. ^ Cf. Dr Barry Alcock in Caroline Jeremy (ed.), Green & Black's Chocolate Recipes (Kyle Cathie Ltd), 2003:p.101.
7. ^ http://www.yummy-coffee-and-food.com/holiday-cookies-meringue.html Meringue Cookies
8. ^ http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/4401/forgotten-cookies

[edit] External links

Wikibooks Cookbook has a recipe/module on Meringue

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Meringue

• Meringues in the online Culinary Heritage of Switzerland database.
• Discussion of different meringue types
• Step-by-step illustrated recipe of meringue with explanations in English
• Douglas Muster, "The Origins and History of Meringue"

 

Lemon Meringue Bars

It's as easy as pie to make bars from smooth, tangy lemon filling and fluffy meringue atop a buttery zest-flecked crust.

Martha Stewart Living, July Summer 2005

• Yield Makes 12

Add to Shopping List

Ingredients

• 2 sticks (16 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 3/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons confectioners sugar
• 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest
• 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
• 6 large eggs, plus 4 large egg whites
• 2 1/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350. Make crust: Put butter, flour, confectioners sugar, 2 teaspoons lemon zest, and the salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with
   the paddle attachment. Mix on medium
   speed until well blended.
   
2. Transfer mixture to a 9-by-13-inch rimmed baking sheet. Press batter evenly into baking sheet. Chill in freezer 10 minutes. Bake until golden, 20 to 22 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack.
   
3. Make filling: Whisk together whole eggs, 1 3/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, the lemon juice, and 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons lemon zest. Pour over crust. Bake until filling is set, 18 to
   20 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire
   rack. Keep oven at 350.
   
4. Make meringue topping: Put egg whites and 1/2 cup granulated sugar in the clean bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form.
   
5. Using an offset spatula or the back of a spoon, spread meringue over filling, swirling to create soft peaks. Bake until meringue begins to brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Let cool completely. Cut into bars. Bars can be refrigerated in an airtight container, up to 1 day.
   

 

Baked Meringue Apples

• • 
  
  

  Ingredients

  • 10 Cortland, Jonathan, or Granny Smith apples, (about 4 pounds)
  • 1 lemon
  • 1/4 cup sugar, plus 1 tablespoon for sprinkling
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 2 tablespoons brandy or cognac
  • 1/2 recipe Swiss Meringue Swiss Meringue
  • Caramel Sauce

  Directions

  1. Core 6 apples by cutting a cone from the top of each with a paring knife. With a melon baller, scoop out seeds down to the bottom. Juice the lemon into cavity of each apple, and sprinkle each apple with 1/2 teaspoon sugar. Place 3 apples on a microwave-safe plate, and loosely cover with plastic wrap. Microwave on high power until the apples are translucent and cooked through but not caving in, about 3 1/2 to 4 minutes. Remove from the microwave, and repeat with another 3 apples. This cooking time will vary from oven to oven, so turn them occasionally, and check the window periodically. They will bubble up with juices when almost done.
     
  2. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Peel, core, and slice the remaining 4 apples into 1/4-inch-thick wedges. In a large saucepan, melt butter over high heat. Add apple wedges, and toss to coat. Saute for about 1 minute, and sprinkle 1/4 cup sugar over the apple wedges. Saute, tossing often, until the apples are brown and translucent. Carefully add brandy (it may ignite), and toss again.
     
  3. Transfer microwaved apples to a baking sheet, and stuff with the sauteed apples. Set aside in a warm place.
     
  4. Fill a pastry bag fitted with Ateco No. 5 star or any other large star tip with meringue, and pipe out meringue onto each apple in decorative swirls. Place in oven, and bake until meringue just starts to brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from oven, and serve warm with caramel sauce.
     

  
  

Meringue

Red Grapefruit with Bruleed Meringue

 

• 

Ingredients

• 2 large egg whites
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup packed dark-brown sugar
• 2 red grapefruits, halved crosswise

Directions

1. Preheat broiler, with rack in lowest position. Put the egg whites and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, and beat on medium speed until frothy, about 30 seconds. Raise speed to high, and add sugar 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until incorporated. Continue to beat until the egg whites hold stiff (but not dry) peaks, about 3 minutes.
   
   
2. Place grapefruit halves, cut sides down, on a large plate; let drain 2 minutes. Invert, and carefully cut between membranes to loosen segments completely. Spoon one-quarter of meringue onto each half, using the spoon to create swirls and peaks. Transfer to a baking pan. Broil, checking frequently, until meringues are browned, about 30 seconds. Serve immediately. Note: The eggs in this dish will not be fully cooked, so it should not be prepared for pregnant women, babies, young children, the elderly, or anyone whose health is compromised.