Italian meringue. Protein and protein-oil cream

29.11.2020

Solo merengi is a dessert for everyone, although the cooking process itself looks like magic. There are only two ingredients - proteins and sugar - and the end result is a real cake, especially when with a caramelized, slightly cracked, crispy crust on the outside and a soft middle that stretches like molasses inside :) Merengi can be loved, but not very much. But learning how to cook them is worth it - they are part of many desserts as soft air layers, baked crispy cakes and all kinds of decorative roses :)

As you know, there are three cooking technologies: French, Swiss and Italian meringues. There are plenty of tutorials on the Internet, but in some the information is too superficial and fragmented, while in others it is so detailed and scientific that, if before it was just scary, then after reading it it becomes even more scary. All last week I have been conjuring with different options and this is what happened :)

French meringue (most common)

Ingredients : for each protein - 50 g of fine sugar or powdered sugar (the proportions can be slightly changed, guided by the rule: the more sugar, the denser the meringue will be).

1. Separate the protein from the yolk (make sure that no shell fragments or yolk particles get into the protein). Important: the proteins should be warm (about 20-25 degrees), then they will beat more easily and form a more airy mass. For heating, it is enough to put the separated protein in a bowl with warm water for 10 minutes.

Both the whisk utensils and the whisk should be perfectly clean, free from grease. You can just in case, rub them with lemon juice and wipe dry.

Begin to beat the whites at low speeds. When they become cloudy and form a coarse foam, we increase the speed and begin to add sugar - slowly, literally by a third of a teaspoon. I use a mixture of sugar and powdered sugar (proportions - one to one), this option is my favorite. Take your time: if you add sugar too quickly and do not knead properly, the meringues may fall off after baking. We continue to slowly increase the speed. The mass begins to thicken ...

2. ... and reach the first stage - the raised corolla forms a small elevation on the surface, which gradually falls off (second picture). From this you can already bake a biscuit! Continue to beat - soon we will reach the consistency of soft, steady peaks with a curving loop top. And finally, hard peaks: they stand firmly and confidently, the tip remains straight and does not bend. From this we will bake crispy meringues.

3. And here is a visual comparison of whites, whipped cold and warm: the first picture is a meringue from cold proteins, the next two - from warm ones. The difference, I think, is obvious: from warm proteins, a much more airy mass, saturated with air, is obtained.

4. We put the meringues on a baking sheet lined with parchment (if there is no pastry bag, use a regular plastic bag or just a spoon. The meringues in this photo are just from such a homemade bag) and send to the oven. The mode and time of baking depends on the desired result and the size of the meringues themselves (here small meringues are meant, with a diameter of 4-5 cm):

Crispy crust, soft center- we send it to an oven preheated to 150 degrees, after 4-5 minutes we reduce it to 60 and bake for another 15 minutes.

Hint from dalnie_strani : if you want a toffee inside, and a crispy crust on top, then it is better not to do it in minutes, but along the cracks - as the first cracks went - immediately turn off the oven and let them sit there until they cool completely

Fully baked, crispy, browned meringue- we send it to an oven preheated to 60 degrees and bake for an hour and a half, after baking we leave it in the oven to cool.

Fully baked, crispy, crisp white meringue- we send it to an oven preheated to 50 degrees, bake for 30 minutes, open the door and bake for another hour and a half. Leave in the oven until it cools completely.

Here, of course, it will be necessary to conjure and experiment, perhaps not everything will work out the first time, each specific oven has its own nuances.

Swiss meringue (on a water bath)

How does it differ from French? Firstly, the Swiss meringue turns out to be denser and more stable. Secondly, it is brewed in a water bath - that is, the proteins are pasteurized, which means that Swiss meringue can be used without further heat treatment: for layer cakes, decoration, etc. Thirdly, it is simply easier to make: no need to heat proteins, no need to worry if sugar is mixed in correctly, etc. So:

1. We are preparing a water (or rather even a steam) bath. Pour water into a saucepan so that the bowl of proteins does not touch the surface of the water, bring to a boil and reduce the heat to a minimum. Mix the proteins with sugar (add all at once) and set them over a saucepan with water. Stir continuously, without beating, until all the sugar is dissolved. Now we begin to beat at low speeds, as soon as the protein becomes cloudy, we increase the speed.

2. Beat until a smooth, shiny mass is formed and the first stage of readiness is reached (the raised whisk forms a slight rise on the surface, which gradually falls off). Remove the proteins from the heat, place them in a bowl of cold water (preferably to stop the protein brewing process) and continue whisking until the proteins are completely cooled (this will take a few minutes). We use it as directed :) If you need a dense crispy meringue, then bake in the same way as in the case of the French one.

By the way, I was afraid that the brewed meringue would have the taste of boiled protein, but no: a slight smell was observed at the brewing stage, but then completely disappeared.

Italian meringue (brewed with sugar syrup)

Includes all the properties of the Swiss meringue, but at the same time it is even more dense and stable. This is the most stable meringue of all three, ideal for decoration and all kinds of multi-tiered structures: you do not have to worry that your structure will float, move out, etc. You can also add filler or color to Italian meringue using sugar syrup. And not to interfere with them at the very end, while sacrificing the shape and density of the meringue.

Ingredients : for each protein - 50 g of sugar + 12 ml. water (syrup) + another tablespoon of sugar

1. Prepared proteins are heated in a bowl with warm water to 20-25 degrees (as in the case of French meringue). Cooking sugar syrup. Fill the sugar with water. At this stage, you can add dye and / or flavoring (both from the bag and natural: for example, instead of water, pour strong strained coffee, etc. I used mint syrup), stirring, bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 6 minutes -7. During this time, the syrup will reach a temperature of 115-120 degrees - this is exactly what we need.

While the syrup is bubbling, start whisking the whites at low speed. When the proteins become cloudy and form a stable foam, add a tablespoon of sugar in portions and continue to beat, increasing the speed.

2. As soon as the proteins have reached the consistency of soft peaks, remove the saucepan with syrup from the heat and start pouring in a thin, thin stream, without stopping whipping, directly onto the whisk of the mixer. If you see that the syrup is almost ready, and the proteins have not yet whipped, it is better to remove the syrup from the heat and then heat it up again. Otherwise, if you overexpose the syrup on fire, you get caramel and the proteins will not whip. If, on the contrary, the proteins are already ready, but the syrup is not yet, it's okay. In a couple of minutes, nothing will happen to the underwhelmed proteins. Stop whisking, wait until the syrup is ready, then continue as usual.

3. Continue whisking until the proteins are completely cooled. We will get a very stable, stable mass - you can literally cut it with a knife and make anything with it :)

Use cases:

French meringue - ideal for baking "for tea". In a completely dry, baked form, I like these meringues the most, they are the most airy and literally melt in the mouth. In semi-baked - the middle is soft, viscous.

Swiss, Italian meringue - ideal for layer cakes and decoration, as they perfectly hold their shape and can be used even without further heat treatment. In a semi-baked form, the middle is soft, but not sticky, dense, reminiscent of marshmallows. If you want to decorate the cake with meringues, and so that after baking they remain soft without a crisp, you should choose Swiss or Italian. Even with subsequent baking (in the range of 15-20 minutes exactly), the meringues will brown to the maximum, but the crusts will not form and will remain soft.

Possible mistakes:

1. After baking, the meringues fell off and "shriveled"- added sugar too quickly. Add in smaller portions and knead more thoroughly. Another reason - they took it out of the oven early, without completely cooling it.

2. The meringues turned out to be kind of "cool", wet, uneven- the day is too humid (yes, even the humidity of the air affects the consistency). There is nothing you can do, except to dry it in the oven.

3. After baking, the meringues were completely baked, hard, crunchy, and in the refrigerator they became viscous and moist- it is too humid in the refrigerator, such crispy meringues are afraid of moisture. Best stored in a dry place.

Uh, everyone, I hope someone will find it useful :)

Place the syrup sugar in a long-handled saucepan, add water and stir. Place on medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until all the sugar is dissolved. Do not allow sugar to crystallize on the sides of the saucepan! To do this, periodically brush them over them with a brush dipped in cold water.

Stop stirring the sugar, but continue cooking until the bubbles on the surface are fine. When you see these bubbles, check the syrup for doneness. A drop of hot syrup placed on a saucer should retain its shape, not blur, not drip, but be soft enough. This will be the “soft ball” stage, which corresponds to a syrup temperature of 116–120 ° C.

As soon as you set the syrup to boil, place the egg whites in a bowl and beat by hand or with a mixer on medium speed until the mixture becomes cloudy and whitish.

When the whites are slightly churned, add a little sugar to them and continue whisking until soft peaks. (At this point, the syrup should be ready. It is very important that the whites are beaten at the same time as the sugar syrup is ready. If the whites are not yet ready, and the syrup has already begun to thicken, remove the syrup from the heat, beat the whites and heat the syrup again.)

Without stopping whipping the whites, pour in the hot syrup in a continuous thin stream. Try not to get on the whisk rods so that the syrup does not splatter, and on the sides of the bowl so that the syrup does not stick to them.

Continue whisking the whites until a very dense, shiny meringue forms and cools down to room temperature.

Simplest WITHOUT and basic French meringue

"And by the way, do you know why" meringues ", and why they are also called" kisses "? It's all from the French baiser (which translates as, yes -" kiss ").
French meringue called basic because it is probably the easiest to prepare. It is made from room temperature proteins that are beaten with sugar. Sugars are taken twice as much by weight as proteins. Due to the high sugar content, this meringue is quite stable (this just means that it keeps its shape well). It is used for making meringues, cake layers, for decoration. Chopped nuts are often added to French meringue - a very interesting option, by the way.

To begin with, I will give a basic recipe for French meringue, and then I will tell you about some of the subtleties I know.

So, for an impressive number of little "kisses" you will need :
3 egg whites, room temperature
180-200 g of sugar.
Any additives - coffee powder, a couple of tablespoons of cocoa, a few drops of food coloring, chopped nuts, etc.

It's easier to do this: weigh 3 proteins and measure out twice the amount of sugar by weight. Then you can't go wrong.

With a whisk or mixer, begin beating the egg whites on medium speed until they form soft peaks.
As soon as this happens (some sources write that by this time the proteins should quadruple in volume), gradually add sugar, without ceasing to beat.
Continue whisking at high speed until stiff peaks form. The finished meringue should remain moist and shiny. This is usually very visible.
Add any additives to the finished meringue, mix gently.
Bake the meringues in an oven preheated to 100 C for 1-2 hours, depending on the size. They must dry completely - crispy on the outside and inside.

About adding sugar. In some sources I read that proteins can "absorb" a certain amount of sugar without sacrificing volume. Usually this amount is equal to the weight of the proteins. Therefore, it is sometimes advised to do the following: Take 100% protein, 100% granulated sugar and 100% powdered sugar. When you beat the whites, add the first part of the sugar (granulated sugar). Then, in the ready-made meringues, gently add powdered sugar with a spatula ... This is what the professionals advise. But it's easier for them, they have - how many years of training. And for me, for example, it is easier to drive in all the sugar with a mixer. Because if I start to interfere with it with a spatula ... In general, I'm afraid I'll have to forget about the volume ... And the professionals say that the finished meringue should not fall out of the bowl if you turn it over ... I willingly believe them, but myself better somehow by eye ... You will have to wash less))

About the stage to beat. It depends on what we are then going to cook from our meringue. The fact is that the longer we beat the whites, the less opportunity the meringue has to increase in the oven due to heating. That is, if we need exactly meringues, or cakes for the cake - we do not plan that they will "grow" while we dry them - then beat until the stage of "hard peaks". If we have conceived a soufflé, then here we will just use the meringue as a "raising" ingredient. It is advised here to beat until "medium" or even "soft peaks" ...
About acid. As I already said, the acid makes the meringue whisk better and holds its shape better. This is especially important if we later add the meringue to other ingredients. For one protein, 1/8 tsp of citric acid (or tartar, or vinegar) is used - and it is added immediately to the unbeaten proteins.

About the form in which I like meringues. For my taste, just meringue is boring. Therefore, this time I made two batches - in one I added a teaspoon of powdered coffee, dissolved in a few drops of water, and in the second - exactly three drops of red food coloring (it is really very concentrated). And if it once again comes to my mind to cook meringues, then I will try to make them the same shape in order to glue together, say, ganache, or whipped cream, or, at worst, jam from a can ... In any case, they will take a long time. all the same will not lie. Will not be in time "

La patissiere

http://lapatissiere.livejournal.com/23406.html

Italian meringue

It will be about Italian merengue. Why is that? The fact is that it is the Italian meringue that is used for such purposes - when you need to decorate the top of the pie, or hide a ball of ice cream under it - and lightly brown it in the oven.

Let's figure out why. Italian meringue is prepared with hot sugar syrup instead of sugar, so when the meringue reaches the “soft / hard peaks” stage, it is ready. That is, it can no longer be subjected to heat treatment. No risk. It is also incredibly stable for the same reason. That is, your "hat" will not go anywhere. Italian meringues, like everyone else, can be soft or hard, depending on the amount of added sugar. In addition, the classic Italian meringue can be completely dried in the oven to a meringue state.

Cooking it is easier than it might seem at first glance. For example, I even managed without a mixer - my hand, however, ached out of habit, but this did not affect the quality of my pictures))

The proportions for the classic Italian meringue are as follows :

For each part of the protein (100%) you need to take
2 parts sugar (200%) and
0.5 parts water (50%)

You need to cook syrup from water and sugar - for good, heat it to a temperature of 120C. But that's to be honest. In general, you can just wait until the sugar dissolves in the water and boil the syrup for a minute or two. In the meantime, start whipping the whites. Hot syrup - straight from the fire - should be poured in a thin stream directly into a running mixer. And then continue to beat until the desired state. Usually during this time the meringue has time to cool down ...

And then you can experiment. In general, of course, the classic representative of a meringue pie is a lemon pie stuffed with lemon Kurd. In LJ, only the lazy didn’t cook Kurd, so I think everyone knows this story. I did it easier. I warmed up the plums cut into quarters in creamy caramel, added a cinnamon stick there - cinnamon is incredibly suitable for plums, laid out the molds - I confess - with purchased shortbread dough (I once again vowed to use it), put them in the oven for 10 minutes. I put plums with syrup on the half-finished dough, spread the meringue on top, tried to make it “beautiful”, and put it in the oven for the next 15 minutes. My oven was preheated to 220C. I put the baking sheet closer to the top of the oven so that the meringue “gilded” beautifully. And I must say that I was pleasantly surprised by the contrast of sour plums with delicate creamy meringue. In my opinion, it worked ...

La patissiere

If you have no idea how Italian meringue is prepared, then we will describe its step-by-step recipe in the materials of this article. We will also tell you about the difference between such a dessert and what is made in Switzerland.

General information about protein cream

Solo Italian meringue is a dessert for everyone. However, the cooking process is very similar to magic. Using just two simple and affordable ingredients (sugar and egg whites), you can make unusual and delicious cakes with a crispy crust and soft, stretchy filling.

Italian meringue: recipe with sugar syrup

There are many ways to prepare such a treat. However, Italian meringue is the most popular in our country. It should be noted that it includes almost all the properties of the Swiss meringue. Although there are still differences between these desserts.

Italian meringue is more stable and dense. This dessert is the most stable. It is ideal for decorating cakes and pastries, as well as for building multi-tiered structures. Using such a mass, cooks do not have to worry that their structure will move out, float, and so on.

By the way, the preparation of Italian meringue often requires the use of various dyes and fillers. Such additives allow you to make the cream more colorful and use it to decorate various cakes and pastries.

So, in order for the Italian meringue on syrup to be as obedient and persistent as possible, it is necessary to prepare the following components:

egg whites - 5 pieces;
granulated sugar - 50 grams for each protein + one large spoon;
drinking water - about 12 milliliters for each protein.

Italian meringue preparation process

The whites for such a dessert should be very carefully separated from the yolks. If the last component gets to the first, then the meringue will not work.

Prepared proteins are placed in a metal dish and heated in a water bath to 20-25 degrees. Next, they begin to prepare the syrup. Sugar is poured over with ordinary drinking water, and then various colors and flavors are immediately added. Instead of drinking water, some cooks use strong brewed coffee, etc.

Stir the ingredients with a spoon and bring them to a boil. Reducing the heat, the liquid is boiled for about 5-7 minutes. During this time, the sugar syrup should reach a temperature of 120 degrees.

While the syrup is boiling, begin to beat the egg whites. This should be done at low speeds using a mixer or blender.

As soon as the proteins become cloudy, granulated sugar is added to them in parts. As you continue to whisk the ingredients, the speed of the blender will gradually increase.

After a lush and airy mass with soft and stable peaks forms in the dishes, hot syrup is gradually poured into it (in a thin stream). To prevent egg whites from curdling, beat them constantly at high speed. In this case, the mass should thicken noticeably.

If the syrup was prepared long before the whites were whipped, it must be reheated. The main thing is not to overdo it with its heat treatment. If you overexpose the syrup on fire, then it will make caramel, which will not allow the whites to beat. In this case, the cream will be damaged.

How to use meringue in cooking?

Italian cuisine is very popular in our country. Therefore, most housewives make meringue exactly according to the above recipe. By strictly observing all its requirements, you should get a very stable and fairly airy mass.

Continue beating the whites with sugar syrup until they are completely cooled. Only in this case you will get a stable protein cream for decorating various cakes and pastries.

To use such a mass to get a beautiful dessert, it is recommended to put it in a culinary syringe or cornet. Using unusual attachments, you can easily form flowers, petals and other patterns. Italian cuisine will allow you not only tasty, but also beautifully set on the festive table.

Using meringue, you can also make a dessert like meringue. To do this, squeeze the protein-custard for cake and pastries onto baking paper, and then place the products in a preheated oven. At 210 degrees, the meringue should be cooked for about 7-12 minutes. During this time, the mass will set well, become crispy on the outside and stretching on the inside.

Swiss meringue

Italian meringue is very similar to the Swiss one. However, there are still differences in them. What exactly they are, we will tell you in the presented article.

First, such a dessert is brewed in a water bath. In other words, the egg whites are pasteurized. Such processing allows the use of meringue without further heat treatment (that is, for decoration, layers of cakes, etc.). Secondly, making a Swiss meringue is much easier than an Italian one.

Required ingredients for making protein cream

So, to make a fluffy and fluffy protein mass, we need:

Step cooking method

It is not very difficult to make a protein cream at home. But to get it stable and keep its shape well, you have to try hard.

First you need to make a water bath. A little water is poured into a wide saucepan, and then a bowl of proteins is set. Bringing the liquid to a boil, reduce the heat to a minimum.

As soon as the proteins are warmed up, all the granulated sugar is added to them. The ingredients stir continuously until the sweet spice dissolves. Only after that they start whipping the ingredients. First, the procedure is carried out at low speeds, and as soon as the protein becomes cloudy, the speed of the blender is increased.

The final stage

Whisk the Swiss meringue until smooth and shiny. As soon as the first stage of readiness is reached (that is, the raised whisk begins to form a small but gradually falling elevation), the squirrels are removed from the heat and then immediately placed in a bowl of cold water.

Continuing to beat the ingredients until they are completely cooled (this can take you a few minutes). This completes the process of preparing Swiss meringue.

Using protein mass

How should the finished cream be used? Italian meringue is a good material for decorating cakes and pastries. As for the Swiss dessert, it is also actively used to cover various delicacies. In addition, it is often used as the main cream for cakes (cakes are greased), custard cakes, eclairs and others.

Many housewives are afraid to make Swiss meringue, as they believe that after heat treatment it will taste like boiled protein. But this is not the case. A slight smell of this ingredient is observed only during the brewing stage. However, in the future, it completely disappears.

Another option for cooking Italian meringue

Now you know how Swiss and Italian meringue is made (see recipe above). However, it should be noted that there are other ways to prepare such a dessert. They are all very similar, but there are some differences.

So, to make a light and airy cream for choux pastry cakes, we need components such as:

egg whites - 6 pieces;
medium-sized granulated sugar - 2 cups;
citric acid - about ½ a small spoon;
agar agar - 5 grams (1 dessert spoon);
flavors, dyes - use at your own discretion;
purified drinking water - ½ glass.

Step by step preparation of syrup

Before you start preparing the Italian protein cream, you need to prepare the agar agar. It is diluted in a small amount of drinking water, and then allowed to swell (10-20 minutes).

While the agar-agar is being prepared, granulated sugar is poured into a saucepan, after which half a glass of water is poured, citric acid, flavors, dyes are added, and then put on medium heat. The readiness of the syrup is controlled visually. If you are afraid that it will be too liquid or thick, then you can check it as follows: a dry object is dipped in boiling syrup and dripped into a cup of cold water. If the syrup grasps and turns into a hard ball, then it is completely ready.

To make the Italian protein cream thick and airy, after preparing the sugar syrup, remove it from the heat and immediately add an agar-agar solution. In this case, the ingredients are vigorously kneaded for about 5-10 seconds. The syrup should rise with a cap and then calm down.

We process proteins

After preparing the sugar syrup, the proteins are processed. They are placed in a deep bowl and beaten vigorously with a mixer until a crisp white mass is obtained (that is, until sharp peaks).

Once the egg whites are prepared, you should start adding the hot sugar syrup. It is poured in a very thin stream and at the same time is constantly interfered with with a mixer. This should be done at the highest speed. Otherwise, the proteins will settle and the cream will not turn out as lush and persistent as we would like.

Once you have an airy and stable protein mass, place it in a bowl of cold water. Whisking the ingredients with a mixer continuously, you must wait for the cream to cool completely.

How to use it in cooking?

Unlike Italian and Swiss meringue, the recipes of which were presented above, such a protein cream is very often used to serve as a full-fledged dessert. It is laid out in bowls, decorated with berries, fruits or chocolate chips, and then presented to family members along with a small spoon.

If you decide to use this dessert for greasing cakes or decorating cakes, then it must be applied within two hours after preparation. Otherwise, the protein cream will begin to bubble and will not fit well for dessert.

It should also be noted that a meringue used on time will prevent your cake or pastries from blurring for 2 or even 3 days.

Let's sum up

A protein custard made according to Italian or Swiss recipes is especially popular among culinary specialists. This is primarily due to the fact that it contains 0% fat. Thus, desserts with Italian meringue are not as high-calorie as, for example, using butter or butter cream.

It should also be noted that cakes with the use of protein mass are voluminous and lightweight than those for the preparation of which butter with condensed milk was used.

By the way, if you add more agar-agar to such a cream, then after the meringue solidifies in the refrigerator, you will get a classic

We have analyzed the possible reasons for that, and today we will find out for what reasons the meringue may not work. But first, let's figure out what is the difference between the concepts of "meringue" and "meringue", and how to speak correctly? According to the cooking technology, meringue is whipped proteins with sugar (cream), and meringue is the finished cake that we get from this cream. You can call it whatever you like (I will not adhere to a strict theory in my article), the main thing is that it turns out delicious.

The ideal meringue is snow-white and fragile, with a smooth, even surface, without cracks and bubbles.
How to achieve this result? You need to remember the main rule: meringues are not baked, but dried. The oven temperature should be no more than 100 C.

Another important point: to make meringues, you need to have a mixer. There were times when our mothers whipped the whites by hand, and everything worked out. But the modern world makes the work of the hostess so easy, so why make extra efforts? For whipping, attachments - spatulas (not hooks! And not knives!) Are suitable, and give preference to a mixer over a blender.

Now let's take a look at the basic recipes for making meringues.

Meringue on French merengue

The simplest and most proven method of whipping proteins with sugar.

It will not be superfluous to remind you that the whites must be separated from the yolks very carefully, without haste, so that not a drop of yolk / water / fat gets into the protein mass.

Now there are many tools to make the process easier, but I separate them by hand, pouring from one half of the shell to the other. I noticed that with cold eggs the process is easier (the protein is easily separated from the yolk). The separated proteins should be left at room temperature for 30 minutes (or even better for several hours), only then start whipping.

Cover the proteins with plastic wrap to keep them dry.

Pour the egg whites at room temperature into a clean, fat-free dish, begin whisking until white foam.

After 1-2 minutes, start adding granulated sugar (it is better to take the finest in structure that you find). Pour in sugar at the rate of 50 g for each protein (that is, if you have 2 proteins, then 100 g). The finer the sugar, the sooner it will dissolve in the proteins and the faster they will beat. It is for this reason that it is better to use room temperature proteins, because it is more favorable for the melting of sugar than chilled proteins.

Now you need to beat for another 3-5 minutes until a thick, shiny mass is obtained, which easily adheres to the whisk of the mixer. The exact time directly depends on the power of your mixer (my 350 W), as well as on the amount of proteins. The more proteins in the bowl, the longer the process will take.

The speed of the mixer should be increased gradually so that the meringue is evenly saturated with oxygen and is more stable. Never start the process straight away at high speed!

The finished meringue remains motionless when the bowl is turned upside down. If you form "drifts" on the surface of the protein mass, they keep their shape perfectly and do not settle. Now it remains to transfer the mass into a pastry bag with a curly nozzle (or without it) and place it on a baking sheet covered with baking paper.

Can proteins be overwhelmed? Unfortunately yes. The mass is first taken in lumps, and then stratified! So don't overdo it. Have achieved a stable immovable mass - stop.

The classic meringue recipe includes only proteins and sugar, but for the gloss of the meringue it is customary to add a few drops of lemon juice, and to fix it - acetic acid (at the rate of 1 tsp for 4 proteins).

The meringues will dry for 2-3 hours at a temperature of 100 C. You can use the "Convection" mode for even blowing air over the cakes. The cooking time of the meringue directly depends on the power of your oven and the size of the cakes. Small ones can be ready in an hour. You can check the readiness by touching the meringue surface - it must be dry and smooth. Ready-made cakes are easily separated from the baking sheet, "ride" on it, if you try to push it along the surface. After 2-3 hours, you can turn off the oven and leave the meringue inside until it cools completely.

Gorgeous can be prepared by anyone who loves meringues. Follow the link to view the recipe.

You can add dye during the whipping stage (when the meringue is ready and you plan to move on to jigging). The result will be solid colored meringues.

If you want to get marble two-tone meringues, you need to proceed as follows.

Take a brush with natural or artificial bristles (any will do, you can also use a cotton swab).

Dip the brush in dye (I have a blue color), run along the inside of the pastry bag, along its entire length (from bottom to top).

Now it remains to put the meringue mass into the pastry bag.

It is better to place future cakes on parchment or on a silicone mat.

Dry the meringue in the oven at 100 C until tender.

Meringue on Swiss merengue

My favorite cooking method.

The peculiarity of this method of making meringues is whipping proteins in a water bath. The main advantage is that the Swiss meringue is considered more stable and strong than the French one. Judge for yourself: here you do not need to beat the mass until the sugar dissolves, since the sugar melts in proteins in a water bath. And the second important plus: raw proteins are heat treated, so you can not be afraid of salmonella and other infections.

We take the same proportions as in French merengue (for one protein 50 grams of sugar). Ideally, weigh the proteins before adding granulated sugar, because the size of the eggs and the weight of the protein are different, you can miscalculate with sugar.

On the Internet, you can find a variety of proportions for making meringues: with less sugar, for example, only 100 grams of granulated sugar is taken for 5 proteins. I, too, sometimes deviate from the standard recipe. But if this is your first time making meringues, stick to the classic ratios!

Put the squirrels in a metal or glass bowl with a heat-resistant bottom and put it all in a water bath. How to organize a water bath? Pour a small amount of water into a saucepan or saucepan (a layer of two fingers), put on fire. Bring to a boil, reduce heat (make a little more than the smallest one) and place a bowl of egg whites on top. The bottom of the bowl must not touch the water!

Using a regular whisk, stir the whites for about 3-4 minutes until the sugar is completely dissolved. You can test it by taking a small amount of protein and rubbing it with your fingertips - no grains should be felt.

After the sugar has dissolved, you can remove the bowl from the water bath and begin to beat the mass with a mixer. It may take 5-6 minutes to beat until fluffy and firm. By this time, the bowl has usually cooled down to room temperature.

If you find it convenient not to remove the bowl from the water bath, you can whisk directly in the water bath.

Place the finished meringue on a baking sheet covered with a silicone mat or baking paper. Dry the meringue at a temperature of 100 C for 3-4 hours. We check the readiness in the same way as in the case of the French meringue: ready-made meringues are easily separated from the baking sheet, do not flow, do not stick.
Ideally, leave the finished cakes in the oven until they cool completely.

And many other desserts. The meringue turns out to be stable, does not freeze in the air with a crust without an oven, which means it is ideal as a cream for cakes and cupcakes.

The cooking process is that you first need to boil the sugar syrup, and only then combine it with the whipped proteins.

Classic Italian meringue recipe:

4 egg whites.
Sugar. The classic recipe suggests adding about 50 g of sugar for each protein. We need 200 g. But if you use more / less eggs, then adjust the amount of sugar accordingly.
4 tablespoons of water.
A few drops of lemon juice.

In order not to confuse you and describe in detail all the details of the process, I have dedicated a separate Italian merengue. Welcome to the link!

I will be glad if my advice will help you prepare a tender and crispy meringue. It can be served with tea or used as a decoration for decorating cakes.

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