Meringhe (Meringues)

Meringues are light and elegant sweets like the tutu of a ballet dancer, but rich in substance just like the human being.

Meringues are delicious, they are made with egg whites and sugar, with a light and crumbly consistency to melt in your mouth! This basic preparation, typical of classic patisserie, is ideal either to be enjoyed by itself with a cup of tea or filled with cream; it is the base of numerous desserts: such as Meringata and Pavlova, for example.

How to make meringues at home? Follow my recipe with all the tricks illustrated step by step; and trust me, you will get perfect meringues! Crunchy to the bite, perfectly dry inside and without cracks just like the ones you buy.

MERINGHE (MERINGUES)

Total preparation time: 120 minutes           Baking time: 90-100 minutes                Servings: 6 people

INGREDIENTS

3 egg whites, at room temperature
125 g (1 cup) extra-fine sugar
10 g (2 teaspoons) cornstarch
7.5 ml (1 ½ teaspoon) apple vinegar or lemon juice
1 g (1 pinch) cream of tartar

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 100 °C (212°F) and set the baking rack in the middle. Lightly brush the surface of a baking sheet with some soft butter, then place some parchment paper on top
2. Prepare the meringue. In a large glass bowl beat the egg whites and cream of tartar with an electric whisk for about 12 minutes. Add 1/3 of the sugar continuing to beat for some minutes. The rest of the sugar is incorporated in two steps, beating until the meringue gets glossier and glossier. The cornstarch, then the vinegar in two steps, are blended in with the electric whisk. The meringue will be very thick and glossy
3. Use a sac a poche with the chosen spout inserted. Depending on the result you want to achieve, you can choose smaller or notched spouts as you like. Insert the meringue mixture into the pastry bag and simply make each meringue by hand. The distance between two meringue should be about 2 cm (about 1 inch)
4. Place in the oven and bake for about 90-100 minutes until they are completely dry. Turn off the oven, slightly open the door and allow to cool completely.

Note: You can store them in a glass container for several days. – Paola