How to make meringue from egg whites. Meringue - recipes with photos

Meringue is an ideal dish for tea.

It is simple, but at the same time sophisticated.

This is a fairly tasty dessert, but it is not too heavy on the stomach.

Preparing a protein dessert, at first glance, is easy, however, there is a whole set of rules that must be followed in order for it to turn out delicious.

In this article we will take a closer look at how to prepare this sweet dish so that your guests are not only satisfied, but also want the hostess to share the secret recipe.

Rules for making meringue at home

This treat is made from egg whites, which must be beaten with sugar.

The dense, airy protein substance is laid out in the form of cones and baked in the oven.

A well-cooked product is dry on top and slightly viscous on the inside.

When preparing this dessert at home, you should remember two basic rules:

Egg whites should always be beaten thoroughly. Properly whipped whites are the basis of any meringue. The whites must be beaten thoroughly; there should be no sugar particles or lumps of different densities. The mass should be homogeneous, viscous, airy. If you beat it poorly, the end result will be a dish that will not hold its shape and will most likely sag during cooking.
Meringue is made in the oven. It is this kitchen appliance that should be given maximum attention. It is absolutely forbidden to put dessert in a cold oven. You should preheat the oven to 150 degrees, and only then put a baking sheet with pieces of delicacy there. In turn, you can’t take it out of a hot oven either. You need to wait until the oven cools down and only then take out the dried cakes. Such complex rules for handling an oven are understandable. On average, meringue takes about two hours to cook. The cake is not baked, but dried at medium temperatures. Only with slow, patient cooking can this dish be dry on the outside and soft on the inside.

Requirements for cookware and cooking conditions

At home, the main problem is the presence of dampness in the premises.

Most of all, this dessert is afraid of moisture.

To make it delicious, you should:

Use only clean and dry utensils during baking.
Avoid baking in humid weather.
Carefully monitor the temperature. The meringue should dry, not bake.

You should also make sure that the utensils used for whipping egg whites are grease-free.

Chocolate meringue with sesame seeds

Fry the sesame seeds until they have a light golden hue.

Grate the chocolate on a coarse grater.

Place the egg whites in a bowl.

Beat them at high speed.

When the mixture begins to thicken, add lemon juice.

Then, without stopping the mixer, add sugar.

You need to stop whipping when the mass becomes very thick.

Now you should add sesame seeds.

Make sure it is cool first.

Hot sesame cannot be added to the protein mixture.

Then you need to add the grated chocolate and continue kneading.

Place on a baking sheet previously lined with parchment paper or foil.

When laying out, use 2 spoons.

We scoop out the mass with one, and with the second we clean off what has stuck to the first spoon.

Cook for about half an hour in the oven at 150 degrees.

A great chocolate brownie is best served with coffee, but if you're not a fan, tea works great too.

For those who don’t particularly like chocolate, we present the simplest recipe in the video below:

Delicious and tender coffee-based meringue

This type of dessert is prepared almost the same as the previous one.

But there are still a number of differences.

This delicious cake is perfect for those who don't like sugary sweet treats.

A coffee-protein dessert prepared in the oven can be either a separate dish or as an additional decoration for other cakes.

So, this recipe for making meringue in the oven should be in your arsenal.

What we need:

egg whites – 3 pieces;
sugar – 150 grams;
instant coffee – 2 teaspoons.

The listed ingredients are enough for 1 baking sheet with meringue.

The entire cooking cycle will take about three hours.

So, the procedure is:

Carefully separate the yolks from the whites, place the whites in a dry and clean container.
Beat the whites with a mixer for 10-15 minutes, add sugar while whipping.
Pour in the coffee and gently mix the mixture with a silicone spatula.
Place the mixture on a baking sheet. You can additionally sprinkle the products with coffee.
Dry at 120 degrees for three hours.

The finished coffee dessert should not be dark in color.

Its color after cooking should differ only slightly from the original.

A simple recipe for meringue with walnuts

Nuts go perfectly with almost any dessert.

In order to make a sweet protein treat based on walnuts, we will need:

2 eggs;
200 grams of sugar;
50 grams of walnut kernels.

Separate the yolks from the whites, beat, adding sugar in the process.

After reaching a thick mass, place on a baking sheet.

Coarsely chop the walnut kernels.

Sprinkle the mixture with them.

You can bake either on parchment or using a silicone mold.

Bake at 150 degrees for 30 minutes.

If you love coconut, then see the following method of cooking with coconut flakes:

Secrets of the perfect dessert

Meringue is a simple dish that is not easy to prepare.

The main problem of cooks who take on this dessert is the desire to follow the recipe in everything.

In fact, the best way to tell if a dish is cooked is to test how easily it releases from the parchment paper.

If this happens easily and without problems, then the baked goods are dry and there is no need to keep them in the oven.

If it comes off with difficulty, it means the base is wet and needs to be dried some more.

It is important to achieve a balance between temperature and time.

There are a large number of recipes with apples. They are used in baking and other dishes, eaten raw and baked. And what kind of jam is made from them, which simply cannot be described in words, how tasty and aromatic it is.

You can find a variety of pumpkin dishes with step-by-step cooking instructions. Healthy and nutritious food is always a priority!

Check out the list of dietary products that will really effectively help you achieve your cherished goal - weight loss. Include them in your daily menu and lose weight without harm to your health. Good luck to you!

For example, a fairly dry meringue will be obtained if you bake it at the minimum temperature for the maximum period of time.

At the same time, a cake that is baked at a high temperature but quickly will be sticky on the inside and dry on the outside.

Choose your ingredients carefully.

The delicacy is very picky about proportions.

If the recipe says 2 eggs and 200 grams of sugar, this does not mean that this is exactly how much is needed.

Eggs can be large or small and this must be taken into account.

The ideal way to determine the degree of readiness of a dessert to go into the oven is to see how well the cream peaks during the cooking process.

If, when you pull the mixer out of the cup, you get a stable peak, then the mixture is ready for baking and you no longer need sugar.

For those who don’t want to stop making cakes and want something new and interesting, we have prepared a video recipe for a light meringue cake:

Meringue is a dessert originally from France, whose unique taste has become a real discovery for world gourmets.

It would seem that such a culinary miracle cannot be prepared at home.

However, we will debunk this myth. A little skill, a minimum of ingredients, a few secrets and you will get excellent meringue without leaving your own kitchen.

A simple meringue recipe at home

Remember: the result will depend on how well you beat the egg whites and sugar.

Let's move on to preparing the recipe with visual photos.

First, separate the yolks from the whites.

Try to do this conscientiously; not a single yellow drop should fall into the future dessert.

Place the whites in a prepared, completely dry container and start beating them.

Gradually add sugar to the whites and continue beating.

First, the mixer should be running at high speed. As soon as the mass begins to acquire a characteristic thickness, slow down the speed.

Thus, beat everything until it becomes a thick cream. It is important that the mass has a sufficiently strong structure and does not fall down from the mixer.

Using a special attachment, place the mixture on a baking sheet lined with baking paper and place in a still cold oven. Only after this turn on the oven to 100 degrees and wait an hour.

Afterwards, reduce the temperature to 60. This way the dessert will dry out and have a delicate, airy structure.

French dessert is ready!

We invite you to watch how to bake meringue at home in the video:

Preparing a delicious steamed dessert

Did you know that housewives turn out doubly better and tastier meringues cooked in a water bath? No? There is a chance to be sure.

To do this you need to collect all the ingredients:

4 eggs;
180 gr. sugar or powdered sugar;
50 gr. nuts

So, how to cook steamed meringue at home? Start by separating the yolks from the whites, as in the classic recipe.

Then place the glass bowl in a water bath, add the egg whites and sugar and start beating until the mixture reaches the desired consistency. Typically this process takes about 10 minutes.

Remove the bowl from the water bath and add a couple drops of vanilla and chopped nuts. Mix well.

Line a baking tray with paper and carefully spoon the resulting mixture onto it. Turn on the oven to 130 degrees and place the meringue for 1.5 hours. If you have a gas oven, the temperature should not exceed 110 degrees.

Has time passed? Meringue is ready to delight the eyes and taste buds!

Homemade meringue options with fruit

It’s hard to deny yourself such a pleasure as light meringues with fruit. Enterprising chefs add a lot of things as fillings to satisfy the gastronomic needs of those around them.

We have selected two absolutely delicious recipes for a delicate dessert with fruit.

With cranberries

The recipe for this dessert is not much different from the classic meringue. But there is a twist in it (more precisely, a berry), which gives it an amazing taste and aroma.

You understood correctly, this is a cranberry. Minimum ingredients required:

4 eggs;
A glass of sugar or powdered sugar;
A couple of drops of vanilla essence;
Cranberry.

Make meringue according to the standard recipe: carefully separate the yolks, beat the whites with sugar, then add vanilla essence to eliminate the smell of eggs.

Wash the cranberries thoroughly and dry. Place the future meringue on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

Top it with cranberries, melting them a little in the cream. The more cranberries, the richer the result will be.

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees and place a baking sheet in it. The meringues are baked for about 20-30 minutes, after which the oven is turned off and its door is opened slightly. This way you will give the dessert the opportunity to dry out and regain its famous airiness.

Delicious meringue with cranberries is ready!

With strawberry

You can hardly pass by the attractive baskets filled with strawberries. We bring to your attention a simple meringue recipe that will quickly become part of your standard recipe book for delicious desserts.

You will need:

2 eggs;
120 gr. fine sugar and powder;
Strawberry.

First of all, beat the whites with fine sugar, as in the standard recipe.

It is important that the mass is of the correct consistency. It’s easy to check: place a teaspoon in a bowl, it shouldn’t fall.

Place the finished mixture into a pastry syringe with a star attachment and form into kind of baskets on baking paper. Place in the oven for an hour and bake at 150 degrees.

After the time has passed, do not remove the meringue. Just turn off the oven and wait another 40 minutes so that the meringue does not lose its shape and structure.

At this time, wash the strawberries, dry them, and cut them into small slices. Place the strawberry filling into the resulting baskets and sprinkle a small amount of powdered sugar on top.

The meringue is best served immediately, before the strawberry juice has time to penetrate into the middle of the dessert.

And in the video below you will see how to make colored meringue at home:

Attractive Chocolate Brownies Recipe

This amazingly simple recipe for making chocolate meringue is suitable for housewives who love to delight their households and guests with home-made delicacies.

There are only three ingredients in the recipe:

4 eggs;
200 gr. sugar or powdered sugar;
Chocolate bar 150 gr.

First, melt the chocolate using a double boiler.

While it cools, separate the yolks from the whites, then beat the latter into a thick foam.

Add sugar and beat until the mixture reaches the desired consistency (it should not fall out of the mixer).

Carefully pour the cooled chocolate into the cream and mix everything with a few quick movements.

Spoon onto a baking tray lined with baking paper and place in the oven for an hour at 130 degrees.

Has time passed? Without touching the meringue, turn off the oven and open it slightly so as not to disturb the structure.

After 40-50 minutes, the meringue is ready to serve for tea.

We offer you a video on making chocolate cakes:

How to prepare cream for a French dessert?

Preparing an airy dessert couldn't be easier. But how can you make its unique taste even better?

We have the answer - make meringue cream. For a simple buttercream you will need:

4 eggs;
4 tbsp. l. milk and the same amount of sugar;
200 gr. butter.

Heat the milk in a saucepan. Then add 4 tablespoons of sugar and stir until it is completely dissolved.

During this time, separate the yolks into a separate container and beat them thoroughly. You also need to pour in the resulting milk, stirring so that the yolks do not curdle and unnecessary lumps do not form. Beat well.

Return the egg mass back to the saucepan, heat and stir until it forms thick sour cream or condensed milk. Refrigerate.

While the custard is preparing, beat the softened butter until smooth. Add the mixture from the saucepan and mix well again. Cool by placing in the refrigerator.

Apply the resulting cream to the side of one meringue and attach the second to it. Bright, positive emotions are guaranteed to all guests!

Baking various goodies is so interesting, right? Therefore, we have prepared another “delicious” article for you. We are sure that this pastry will win your love, well, definitely the first time!

We invite you to come in and learn how to prepare real custard, following all the rules. Then it can be used in any baked goods and favorite desserts.

We will tell you all the secrets of making aromatic coffee. If you love this invigorating drink, then you definitely need to know them!

Of course, there are a number of secrets in preparing dessert that will help make the preparation process easier. Especially if you are doing this for the first time. We have prepared 7 tips that will become a real lifesaver in the kitchen.

If you need to perfectly separate the white from the yolk, but don’t have special tools at hand, it doesn’t matter, grandma’s old method has never failed anyone. Pierce the egg on both sides with a thick needle or awl. This way the white will come out and the yolk will remain inside the shell. You can also use a paper funnel;
Egg whites whip much better if they are chilled. Keep the eggs in the cold and you will be amazed at how easy the beating process will be;
Never, under any circumstances, beat egg whites in an aluminum bowl. The dishes themselves must be clean and absolutely dry;
To achieve a good result, it is better to use fresh eggs. This is the only way to get a rich, thick protein mass;
Add sugar in portions. If you pour it all at once, you risk getting a liquid mass;
For a delicate meringue structure, powdered sugar is better suited. It dissolves in proteins many times faster and does not settle to the bottom like sugar;
To make the whites whip faster and their structure thicker, add a couple of drops of lemon juice.

It’s still possible to make meringue at home, and you’ve just seen it! Knowing the theory perfectly, start practicing. The result will not be long in coming: a light, airy dessert to the delight of everyone around you will turn out in no time.

Dear readers who want to lose weight! Do you think these wonderful cakes are off-limits to you?

But no! Watch the video recipe for dietary meringue below. These meringues will definitely not spoil your figure!

Meringue is a surprisingly delicate delicacy that appeared around the 17th century in Switzerland. According to legend, the Italian master chef Gasparini, who came to the country, opened his own pastry shop in Mayring, making unusually delicate cakes called “kisses” (“meringues”). These cakes glorified the master and became famous first in Meiring, then throughout Switzerland, and then conquered the world.

In fact, making meringue is very easy. The dessert is based on eggs (white) and sugar, as well as some additives designed to improve or change the taste of the finished product.

Meringue - preparing food and utensils

Meringue is a very delicate dessert and the lowest in calories of all sweets. It can be eaten in moderation even by those who are on diets.

Despite the fact that meringue is very easy to prepare, there are several tricks without which the dessert may not work.

So, follow these rules:

You need to beat the egg with sugar in a copper bowl or a bowl made of another metal so that the heat is distributed evenly. The dishes must be completely clean.
Eggs for making meringue must be fresh. If you know that the egg is not entirely fresh, then instead of sugar it would be more appropriate to use powdered sugar.
When whipping egg whites, add sugar (or powdered sugar) very slowly, in a thin stream.
Beat with a blender (or mixer) at medium speed for about 5-8 minutes.
Bake in the oven at medium temperature - 120-140 degrees.

Meringue Recipes:

Recipe 1: Meringue

If you prepare the dessert according to this recipe, you will almost perfectly recreate the famous Swiss meringue. The secret of the “Swiss technology” is that the meringue needs to be whipped over a steam bath. This way the whites will whip as evenly as possible. The proportions of this meringue are 200 grams of sugar per 1 egg white. The dessert will turn out very sweet, almost cloying. If you are on a diet, then it is better for you to refuse such meringue in favor of other recipes.

Required ingredients:

Whites (from fresh eggs) – 3 pieces
Sugar – 600 grams

Cooking method:

Place the whites in a metal container. Start beating them with a mixer, gradually pouring half the sugar into them. You need to sprinkle sugar in a thin stream.
Place the bowl of egg whites over a pan of boiling water and continue beating with the mixer at medium speed. Add the remaining sugar.
Remove the container with the whites and beat for another 3 minutes at medium speed until the whites have cooled.
Bake the meringue in the oven at 120 degrees for about 50 minutes. After turning off the heat, let the dessert set and cool.

Swiss-style meringue turns out to be very sweet, and therefore it is best to serve the dessert with sour berries and fruits.

Recipe 2: Overnight meringue

For this recipe you will need a mixture of sugar and powdered sugar, as well as a little lemon juice. The resulting meringue will have a pleasant sourish flavor and will not be very cloying. The name of this dessert is due to the fact that the meringue will need to be left in the oven overnight to harden.

Required ingredients:

4 whites (from fresh eggs)
Sugar 100 grams
Powdered sugar 200 grams
Lemon juice – half a teaspoon

Cooking method:

Sift the powdered sugar through a sieve, add sugar to it and mix.
Turn on the oven to preheat. Temperature – 120 degrees
Beat the whites with a mixer at high speed for about 4 minutes. Add half a teaspoon of lemon juice and a quarter of the mixture of sugar and powdered sugar to the whites. Beat with a mixer for 2 minutes at medium speed.
Gradually add the remaining sugar to the mixture and beat for about 4 minutes.
Line a baking sheet with paper, spoon or use a piping bag onto the meringue and bake for an hour.
Turn off the oven, but do not remove the meringue. Leave them in the oven overnight. In the morning you will find a ready-made dry treat.

Recipe 3: Cranberry meringue

Sweet and sour meringue of pale pink color will serve both as an independent dish and as an addition to any dessert.

Required ingredients:

Fresh egg whites 4 pieces
Powdered sugar 1.5 cups
Cranberries 0.5 cups
Lemon juice ½ teaspoon

Cooking method:

Beat the whites with a mixer at medium speed for about 4 minutes.
Gradually add powdered sugar and lemon juice to the protein foam.
Wash the cranberries and grind them. Squeeze the cranberry juice and add the pomace to the whites. Continue beating with the mixer for about 3-4 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 120 degrees.
Cover the baking sheet with paper, place the meringue onto the paper with a spoon or pastry syringe.
Bake the dessert for about 50 minutes without closing the oven door.

Recipe 4: Coconut meringue

The coconut meringue recipe is simple and easy to follow, but the finished dessert will have a very exotic taste.

Required ingredients:

Fresh egg whites 4 pieces
Powdered sugar 100 grams
Sugar 200 grams
Coconut flakes 50 grams
Vanilla

Cooking method:

Sift the powdered sugar through a sieve.
The egg whites should be beaten at medium speed for about 3 minutes.
Add powdered sugar into the foam in a thin stream and beat for 3 minutes.
Add sugar to the protein mass, also in a thin stream, beat for one or two minutes.
Add coconut and vanilla to the mixture and stir well.
Preheat the oven to 120 degrees.
Spoon or squirt meringue onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake the dessert for about 50 minutes. Cool before serving.

Recipe 5: Meringue with nuts

You can prepare the most delicate dessert by adding chopped nuts to the protein mass. You can use any type of nuts or a mixture of them. In addition, you can add rum essence to this meringue.

Required ingredients:

Fresh egg whites 4 pieces
Powdered sugar 200 grams
A pinch of salt
Walnut 50 grams
Almond nut 50 grams

Cooking method:

Grind the nuts using a blender or meat grinder.
Sift the powdered sugar through a sieve.
Start beating the whites by adding a pinch of salt.
Without turning off the mixer, gradually add sugar and nut mixture to the protein foam.
Preheat the oven to 140 degrees.
Line a baking sheet with parchment. Place the meringue onto the parchment using a spoon or pastry syringe. Bake the dessert for about 50 minutes without closing the oven door.

Recipe 6: Apple Meringue Pie

If you like charlotte, then you will certainly like this meringue pie, because it is based on apples. This meringue pie will have a delicious baked crust and a fragrant soft apple filling in the middle.

Required ingredients:

Flour 1 cup
Sugar 150 grams
Butter 100 grams
Fresh eggs 2 pieces
Sweet apples 3 pieces
Milk 100 ml
A pinch of salt

Cooking method:

Wash the apples, peel them and cut them into small cubes.
Sift the flour through a sieve.
Separate the whites from the yolks.
Melt the butter.
Mix egg yolks, half the sugar, salt and butter. Add flour to the mixture and knead until the dough becomes crumbly. Pour milk into the mixture and mix using a blender until smooth.
Take a pie pan, grease with vegetable oil and line with dough. Place the pan in the freezer for 20 minutes.
Let's make meringue. To do this, combine the whites with the remaining sugar until a thick foam forms and place in the refrigerator.
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees. Remove the pan with the dough from the freezer, place the chopped apples on the dough and place in the preheated oven for 20 minutes.
Remove the pie, pour the egg white mixture over the apples and return to the oven, lowering the temperature to 120 degrees for one hour.

Recipe 7: Banana Meringue Cake

These roll cakes are prepared in pastry shops in France. There they cost from 3 to 5 euros per piece. The cakes turn out to be very tasty and tender, and are bought by French women with a bang. You and I will prepare such a dessert for much less money. Instead of maskropone cheese, you can use any creamy unsalted cheese or full-fat cottage cheese with sour cream.

Required ingredients:

Sugar -100 grams
Powdered sugar - 100 grams
Egg whites - 4 pieces
Mascropone cheese 300 grams
1 medium banana
Milk 5 tablespoons
Ground black coffee 2 tablespoons

Cooking method:

Turn on the oven to heat up, setting the temperature to 180 degrees.
Sift the powdered sugar through a sieve.
Start beating the whites, gradually adding powdered sugar first and then granulated sugar.
Line a baking sheet with parchment and grease it with oil. Spread the egg white mixture onto parchment paper and bake in the oven for about 20 minutes.
While the meringue is baking, prepare the filling for the cake rolls. To do this, peel the banana and puree it using a blender. Pour hot milk over the coffee and cover with a lid for 5 minutes. Start beating the maskropone with a mixer, adding banana to it. Strain the coffee and add the coffee mixture to the cheese.
Remove the meringue from the parchment and cool. Spread with cream and roll into a roll. Place the cake in the refrigerator for 40 minutes, then remove and cut into portions.

Recipe 8: Almond meringue cakes with orange

The meringue cakes you prepare using this recipe will have a completely unusual taste of almonds and fruits. Made in the form of cupcakes, when tasting, they will transport you to sunny Italy - this country is the birthplace of meringue cakes with almonds. It should be noted that in addition to almonds, you can also use hazelnuts or cashews. But only almonds will give the meringue an unusual aroma.

Required ingredients:

Fresh egg whites 6 pieces
Powdered sugar 300 grams
Sugar 100 grams
Medium size orange 1 piece
Orange zest
Lemon zest
Almonds 100 grams
A pinch of salt

Cooking method:

Sift the powdered sugar through a sieve.
Grind the almonds by passing them through a meat grinder or using a blender.
Peel the orange and divide it into slices.
Beat 4 egg whites with salt at high speed.
Continuing to beat the egg whites, gradually add powdered sugar, orange zest and almonds.
Pour the egg white mixture into the muffin tins, filling them halfway.
Stick an orange slice into each mold.
Send the cakes to bake in the oven at a temperature of about 140 degrees for 30 minutes.
Beat the remaining whites with lemon zest and sugar.
After half an hour, take out the cakes, fill them with protein mixture and bake for another 20 minutes.

Serve the cakes completely cooled.

Recipe 9: Cherry meringue pie

A layer cake based on chocolate shortcrust pastry, cherry jam and crispy airy meringue. By the way, this pie can be prepared with any jam, but it is best to use thick jam. For example, in addition to cherry, currant or orange will work, but definitely don’t take strawberry. Before using the jam, squeeze out the juice.

Required ingredients:

Cherry jam (pitted) 100 grams
Flour 300 grams
Butter 100 grams
Sugar 250 grams
Fresh eggs 2 pieces
Cocoa 1.5 tablespoon
Soda slaked with vinegar ½ teaspoon

Cooking method:

Break the egg, separate the white from the yolk.
Melt the butter.
Mix the yolks with sugar (use 2/3 of the total sugar), cocoa and butter. Add sifted flour through a sieve and soda to the mixture, mix. The dough should be crumbly.
Take a pie pan, grease it with butter and line it with dough.
Squeeze the jam out of the juice. Ideally, only cherry berries should remain.
Place the mold with the dough and jam in the oven for 20 minutes at 180 degrees.
Mix the egg whites and remaining sugar until thick foam forms.
Remove the pie, place the protein foam on top and bake for another 40 minutes at 120 degrees.

What is better to use, sugar or powdered sugar to make meringue? Most confectioners believe that powdered sugar makes the protein mass more airy and homogeneous than sugar.
Do not rush to add sugar to the protein foam. The best way to beat the meringue is this way. First, beat the whites for about 3 minutes, and then pour in the sugar in a thin stream. If you are using powdered sugar, sift it through a sieve. This way the whites will whip into a more airy mass, as the powdered sugar will be saturated with oxygen.
If the yolk gets into the white, the meringue will not work. Separate the whites from the yolk very carefully.
There shouldn't be even a drop of liquid in the bowl where you beat the whites, otherwise the whites won't beat properly.
Before making the meringue, place the egg whites in the refrigerator for 5-10 minutes. This way they will fluff up much better.
The meringue will whip better if you add a pinch of salt or a little lemon juice to the whites during the whipping process.
The prepared dessert should be stored exclusively in a dry place.

Ah, meringue!.. Tender, crispy, crumbly or, on the contrary, soft, like cotton candy inside and with a crispy golden brown crust on the outside... Mmmm, pleasure! No wonder the sophisticated French called this delicacy “kiss” (from the French Baiser). In pre-revolutionary Russia, meringue was called the “Spanish wind”. It is also called meringue, and it is believed that it is more correct to call this dessert that way, because meringue is a protein cream, and meringue is the same cream, only dried. However, let's leave linguistics aside and try to prepare this amazing dessert.

In general, the composition of meringue is simple, like everything ingenious: proteins and sugar. Sometimes nut flour, starch, but this is no longer so significant. However, a short list of ingredients does not mean that preparing a fragile dessert is easy and simple. Meringue is a delicate substance, capricious, like a spoiled lady, and can present many surprises and disappointments to an inexperienced cook. Therefore, before you open the refrigerator and take out a tray of eggs, arm yourself with theoretical knowledge of the subject and strictly follow the strict rules for preparing meringue, and then everything will work out for you!

You can prepare meringue in three ways. The French method is the simplest; it can be used to try to master this dish, as well as to make simple meringue shapes, without subtle patterns. The protein mass turns out fluffy, strong, but with clearly visible bubbles, so there is no point in planting masterly roses on a baking sheet, they will float. French meringue is prepared like this: chilled egg whites are whipped to a strong foam with a pinch of salt, then sugar or powdered sugar is added little by little and everything is whipped to the so-called “hard peaks.” This means that if you lift the whisk or mixer over the whites, they will not fall off and the sharp edges will not bend under gravity. The Italian method of preparing meringue differs from the French in that instead of sugar, rather steeply boiled sugar syrup is poured into the whipped whites. The syrup is poured in hot, in a thin stream, and beating the whites in no case stops until the entire mass has cooled. This method is ideal for making creams - boiling syrup brews the whites, and the resulting cream does not fall off. You can layer cakes with this cream, make pastries with it, fill tubes or eclairs, and decorate any dessert. In addition, cream prepared in Italian mixes perfectly with butter, while “regular” meringue flows from contact with fat. The Swiss method of preparing meringue is the most labor-intensive, due to the fact that you will have to build a steam bath. But the meringue prepared this way is the strongest, most stable and dense. From the steamed mixture you can make the most imaginative cookies, and they dry very quickly, faster than all the others, and you can draw beautiful complex patterns with it. The method of preparation is as follows: a bowl with whites and sugar is placed over a pan of boiling water, and the bottom of the bowl should not come into contact with boiling water, and the whites are beaten, first slowly until all the sugar has dissolved, and then quickly to form a thick, dense mass.

So, the cooking method has been chosen, and you are determined to surprise your guests with wonderful meringues. Stop for a few more minutes and remember a few very important rules, without which you will not succeed.

Proteins must be the freshest! Only fresh proteins are able to retain air and give a dense, thick mass.

. The whites should be separated very carefully so that not a drop of yolk gets into them. This is done like this: over a separate bowl, break the egg with the blunt side of a knife so that the shell cracks. Carefully break the egg and release the white into the bowl. The yolk remains in one of the shells. You also carefully pour the yolk into another shell, the remaining white slides into the bowl, and the clean, undamaged yolk remains in the shell.

Try to break each egg over a separate bowl, pouring the whites into a bowl - no one will find a surprise in the form of a rotten egg plopping down among the rest of the whites pleasant.

It is advisable to grind the sugar into powder or buy ready-made powdered sugar in the store. The size of the grains will not affect the quality and taste, you will just have to beat the protein mass much longer, because this must be done until all the sugar has dissolved. Otherwise, the remaining grains will crunch on your teeth.

. When whipping egg whites, it is good to use citric acid - in powder, diluted form, or just lemon juice. Citric acid is diluted at the rate of 1 tsp. powder for 2 tsp. water. Citric acid is added to taste, sometimes a few drops are enough, but if you like a sour taste, you can add more, for example, a teaspoon of acid. Just don't use acetic acid, for heaven's sake!

Dishes and whisks must be not just clean, but perfectly clean, free of grease and any impurities.

It used to be that even a drop of water could ruin all efforts to beat the egg whites. Now this statement is being refuted by experienced cooks, and some even add a few tablespoons of water to the whites so that the dried meringues become especially brittle and dry.

Sometimes in whites before beating Then add a pinch of salt - it gives strength to the proteins.

If the recipe calls for adding a little flour, starch or ground nuts to the whipped whites, then the flour and starch should be sifted to saturate them with air, and the nuts should be fried and ground as finely as possible.

Baking trays for meringues should be covered with oiled or special baking paper.

If you decide to bake airy baskets, then draw identical circles on the back of the baking paper (circle the bottom of the glass), fill a pastry syringe or cornet with a smooth round nozzle and fill the circles by squeezing out the dough, moving in a spiral. Then, along the edge of the circles, pipe the dough in the form of a border in one continuous strip or often plant small stars along the edge. After baking and cooling, fill the resulting baskets with cream or jam.

. To get even cakes, draw a circle or rectangle of the desired size on the back of the paper with a pencil, then put the dough into a pastry syringe or cornet and pipe the meringue along the drawn contour, moving in a spiral. You can start from the center, or you can start from the edges, it doesn’t matter.

In order to remove the meringue cakes from the paper, place the cake together with the paper on the edge of the table and slowly move it towards you, holding the cake with one hand, while pulling the paper down with the other. By acting carefully enough, you will receive the cake intact and unharmed. Removing small meringues from paper is usually not very difficult.

To prevent the meringue from melting under the influence of cream, jam or preserves, make a layer of melted chocolate. To do this, melt the grated chocolate in a water bath in a small amount of milk or cream, stirring constantly and periodically removing from the steam so that the chocolate does not curdle from excessively high temperature, stir until smooth and spread the inside of the baskets with a brush, trying to apply a good layer of chocolate. The same operation can be done with cake layers - this will only add a crunchy chocolate note to your dessert.

That's all. Difficult? Try it and see for yourself.

Ingredients:
4 egg whites (from medium eggs),
1 stack sugar (or half and half sugar with powdered sugar)
1-2 tsp. vanilla sugar.

Preparation:
Start beating the egg whites (you can add a pinch of salt) with a whisk or mixer at low speed until the mixture becomes bubbly. Gradually, without stopping whisking, add sugar, whisking each time until the sugar is completely dissolved. Properly whipped whites do not fall off the whisk and do not hang down from it. Place meringue on a baking sheet lined with paper using two teaspoons or a cornet and place in an oven preheated to 80-100°C. Bake the meringue for 1-2.5 hours, depending on the size of the products. Do not immediately remove the finished meringues from the oven; let them cool and only then remove them from the sheet.

Italian meringue

Ingredients:
2 squirrels,
200 g sugar,
100 g of water.

Preparation:
Boil sugar syrup. Beat the whites into a strong foam, place in a water bath and beat, gradually pouring the hot syrup into the whites for 30 minutes. Spoon the finished mixture or place it using a cornet on a baking sheet lined with paper. Dry the meringue until done in the oven with the door ajar at the lowest temperature.

Ingredients:
1 protein,
30 g sugar,
15 g powdered sugar,
1.5 tbsp. cold water.

Preparation:
An important note: the whites in this recipe must be beaten by hand with a whisk. Preheat the oven to 120°C and prepare a baking tray with baking paper. Pour the egg white into a deep bowl and start whisking it in one direction. As soon as the protein rises, turning into a transparent foam, add cold water to it, without ceasing to beat for about 3 minutes. Now add sugar in a thin stream, without ceasing to beat, and then in the same way, in a thin stream, powdered sugar. Continue whisking until the mixture becomes thick and dense. If you lift the whisk, the protein mass should stay on it and not fall off. Place the finished protein dough on a baking sheet and place in the oven for 40 minutes. The door must be closed. When the meringues acquire a uniform creamy color, reduce the temperature to 100°C and open the door slightly. If the oven has a fan, turn it on. Dry the meringue in this manner for about another hour. When removing the baking sheet from the oven, do not try the meringue to the touch - it will be soft, but in the air the meringue will harden in just a minute.

Ingredients:
1 protein,
150 g powdered sugar,
chocolate chips or any syrup - to taste (for decoration).

Preparation:
Beat the egg whites with powdered sugar until thick. Take paper muffin tins, fill each with a walnut-sized portion of egg white meringue and place in the microwave. Turn on the oven to maximum power and cook for 1-2 minutes. The meringue will increase in size. After turning off the microwave, do not remove the meringues immediately; let them cool. Decorate with chocolate or syrup.

Meringues with chocolate and berry sauce (microwave)

Ingredients:
2 squirrels,
sugar - the same amount by weight as proteins,
20-30 g dark chocolate,
100 g of any berries.

Preparation:
Beat the egg whites with a few drops of lemon juice until soft peaks form. Gradually add sugar while whisking continuously and increase speed. Beat until the white mixture is moist and shiny and falls off the whisk. Gently stir the grated chocolate into the prepared mixture. Place in paper forms and microwave for 30 seconds, no more. Power should be maximum. Cool the meringues without removing them from the oven. Meanwhile, prepare the berry sauce: grind the berries in a blender and rub through a sieve. Place the cooled meringues on a plate and pour over the berry sauce.

Ingredients:
8 proteins,
200 g sugar,
150 g powdered sugar,
30 g starch,
150 g ground nuts (walnuts or hazelnuts).

Preparation:
Beat the whites into a fluffy foam, gradually adding sugar. Mix powdered sugar with starch, sift and quickly and carefully fold into the beaten egg whites. Stir with a wooden spoon, pour the resulting mixture into a pastry syringe or envelope with a large star tip and pipe the meringue onto a baking sheet lined with paper. Place the baking sheet in the oven preheated to 100°C for 8 hours. Open the door a little. Remove the dried and cooled meringue from the baking sheet and store in a cool, dry place. You can make “Chocolate” meringue in the same way, only replace the nuts in the recipe with the same amount of grated chocolate.

Ingredients:
3 squirrels,
200 g powdered sugar,
250 g cream,
400 g strawberries,
1 tbsp. vanilla sugar,
½ tsp. lemon juice.

Preparation:
Beat the egg whites, adding 150 g of sugar little by little, then add lemon juice. Stir well, add the remaining sugar and beat thoroughly again. On the back of the paper with which you will cover the baking sheet, draw circles (circle a glass or cup). Fill a piping bag fitted with a round tip and pipe the egg white mixture onto the circles, moving in a spiral. Then change the nozzle to a star-shaped one and plant small roses along the edges of the circles to form baskets. Place in the oven preheated to 80-100°C and dry the baskets for 2 hours. Whip the cream with vanilla sugar. Wash the strawberries, dry them and cut them into quarters. Fill the cooled baskets with buttercream and decorate with strawberries.

In addition to fluffy cookies and baskets, there are delicious meringue-based desserts. This is the wonderful airy dessert “Pavlova”, and the “Count Ruins” cake, and the highest achievement of Soviet culinary thought, which appeared as a result of an oversight - the “Kyiv” cake. But this is a topic for another article.

Happy meringues and bon appetit! (Stay with us!)

Larisa Shuftaykina

In the 17th century, the Italian chef Gasparini, who came to Switzerland, first prepared small delicate cakes, which were given the name “meringue”. Since then, fans of this delicacy around the world have only increased; it is hardly possible to find those who do not like the airy and melt-in-the-mouth dessert.

Its taste is truly divine and many people think that making meringue can only be done by professional confectioners. Nothing like that, it’s very easy to do, you just need to know a few secrets and tricks. The classic recipe for meringue in the oven includes only two components - egg whites and sugar.

Colored meringue in the oven

To make colored meringue, you will need food coloring. This sweet delicacy will delight adults and children. Prepare it for a child's birthday or any other holiday.

Taste Info Various desserts

Ingredients

egg whites – 2 pcs.;
sugar – 100 g;
vanillin - on the tip of a knife;
food coloring.

How to make classic meringue at home

The most important thing in making meringue is perfectly clean dishes! The bowl in which you will beat the egg whites and the whisk should be spotlessly clean. Otherwise, you risk ruining the dessert. Even with the slightest drop of fat, egg whites will never whip into a strong foam. For the same reason, be very careful and careful when separating the yolks from the whites. Remember, the yolk is fat!

Separate the whites into a bowl and start beating them.

Gradually, without stopping the mixer, add sugar and vanillin.

Continue beating until you get a strong protein mass that holds its shape well.

Add a few drops of food coloring and stir.

You can make meringues in two colors. Divide the whipped whites into two parts, add red coloring to one, yellow coloring to the other.

Line a baking tray with baking paper.

Take a pastry bag and a piping tip (you can use a pastry syringe or just spoon the meringue onto a baking sheet).

Fill a piping bag with beaten egg whites.

Place the protein mass on a baking sheet. Use the size at your own discretion. For example, for children you can prepare “baby bezeshki” by planting very small pieces.

Place the baking sheet in the oven, heated to 100 degrees, for 1.5-2 hours.

After the required time has passed, turn off the oven, open the door slightly and let the finished dessert cool without removing the baking sheet.

Place the cooled meringue into a bowl and serve.

Teaser network

Meringue in a water bath

Meringue in a water bath is also called “wet”. You will need two pans: a regular one, in which the water will boil, and a smaller fireproof one, then place it in a water bath (this can be a glass pan for the microwave). The method is more labor-intensive, but such meringues are dense and stable; they can be given any intricate shape.

Ingredients

chicken eggs – 4 pcs.;
salt - a pinch;
granulated sugar – 200 g;
vanilla sugar – 1/2 tsp;
citric acid - on the tip of a knife.

Preparation

To prepare “wet” meringue at home, take an ordinary saucepan, pour some water into it and bring to a boil.
While the liquid is boiling, separate the whites from the yolks in the eggs. Do this very carefully so that not a drop of yolk gets into the whites, otherwise they will not whip up later.
Pour the egg whites into a clean, dry, ovenproof, smaller bowl. Add a pinch of salt and start beating with a mixer.
Now place the bowl in a water bath, so that its bottom does not touch the boiling water, and continue whisking (50-60 seconds will be enough).
While still working with the mixer, gradually add sugar to the whipped egg whites.
Add vanilla sugar and continue beating for 1-2 minutes.

7. When the mass begins to thicken, add citric acid and beat until stable peaks form (also about 1-2 minutes).

8. Now remove the dishes from the water bath and continue beating until the protein mass cools completely (the more it cools, the thicker it becomes, the mixer will become more and more difficult to work with). This process will take approximately five minutes.

9. Transfer the resulting protein cream into a pastry bag with a shaped tip. Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper and place the meringue pieces on it. Here you can get creative, giving your future dessert different shapes. The size of your preparations will directly determine how long to bake the meringue in the oven. The smaller the workpiece, the faster it will be ready.

10. All that remains is to preheat the oven to a temperature of 100 degrees, place a baking sheet in it and dry the meringue for 1.5 hours.

11. After the required time has passed, open the oven door, pull out the baking sheet a little and test the meringue with your finger. If it is dry and does not stick, then turn off the oven, but do not remove the baking sheet, leave it inside for another 10-15 minutes with the door open.

12. That’s all, the airy and beautiful meringue is ready in the oven. Serve it with aromatic tea or coffee, or use it to decorate cakes.

Meringue with starch

We bring to your attention another simple recipe for making meringue with starch. This component adds extra dryness, which is especially important when meringue is used to decorate moist cakes or desserts.

Ingredients

chicken eggs – 4 pcs.;
salt - a pinch;
powdered sugar – 1.5 cups;
potato starch - 1 tbsp. l. (with a slide);
lemon juice – 1/4 tsp;
vanillin – sachet (1.5 g)

Preparation

Separate the whites from the yolks in the eggs. This must be done especially carefully, because the slightest part of the yolk getting into the whites will cause them to beat poorly.
Add a pinch of salt to the whites and beat with a mixer.
Now gradually add powdered sugar, one tablespoon at a time, without stopping whisking.
When the protein mass becomes dense enough, add vanillin and starch. Continue beating for another 2 minutes.
Squeeze the lemon juice, beat for another 1-2 minutes and the protein meringue cream will be ready. It turns out very thick, if you turn the bowl upside down, the cream should not flow or fall.
Line a baking tray with baking paper. Transfer the protein cream into a pastry bag and place it on a baking sheet, giving the pieces an arbitrary ornate shape.

7. By this time, your oven should be preheated to 100 degrees. Place the baking sheet in it for 1.5 hours.

8. Turn off the oven, open the door slightly and wait until the cakes have cooled completely.

The most important secret of successful meringue is only fresh chicken eggs!
Another important point is at what temperature to bake the meringue. Never heat the oven too hot, 80-110 degrees is enough. The whole secret lies in low temperature and long baking. By and large, meringues are not even baked, but dried (depending on the size from 1.5 to 2 hours).
Do not store the finished meringue in the refrigerator under any circumstances; it will become damp over time.
If you have to prepare meringue without a mixer, then remember one important thing - when whipping the protein mass with a kitchen whisk, never change direction, work only in one direction. And immediately be prepared that this will take a long time (at least 15 minutes).
Classic proportions of proteins and sugar - for 1 protein take 50 g of granulated sugar or powder.
If you cook meringues in an electric oven, then turn on the heating both from below and from above, but without the convection mode.