Savory Meringue Recipe: How To Make Fluffy Meringue That's Not Sweet - On The Gas | The Art Science & Culture of Food (2024)

FAQs

What is the science behind meringue? ›

Adding sugar to foamy egg whites creates a thick and glossy foam. This foam remains even after you stop whisking. Food scientists believe that sugar helps more proteins gather on the surface of the air bubbles, making the bubbles even more stable.

Don't overbeat egg whites. (Overbeaten egg whites will look hard, lumpy or dry). When whipping egg whites, always start your mixer on low medium-low to medium speed. Beat them until foamy and increase the speed to medium-high and then to high.

Acid. Whether it be vinegar, lemon juice, cream of tartar, or a combination, an acid will greatly improve the structure of meringue. Acid not only helps meringue whip up and aerate more quickly, it also keeps it stable. Without acid, meringue is more likely to collapse either during or after mixing.

Cornstarch: Cornstarch is an excellent way to foolproof your meringue. Use it to create added fluff and keep your hard-won volume from shrinking. Cream of Tartar: Often added in when making meringues, acidic cream of tartar provides lift and stabilization.

Meringue is a classic confection that has stood the test of time. It is a delicate foam made by beating egg whites and sugar until they reach stiff peaks. The resulting texture is light and airy, and the taste is sweet and ethereal.

The meringue mixture splits on standing before baking.

Sugar stabilises a meringue mixture, so the lower the sugar content, the less stable the mixture will be.

One of the most common mistakes is not beating the eggs long enough, or on too slow a speed, which means the egg whites won't reach stiff peak stage and instead only reach a soggy droopy stage.

Any kind of grease ruins meringue. That means that your cooking utensils need to be immaculately clean. Even if you're sure they're clean but they've been sitting in your kitchen for a while, run some hot, hot water over them and dry with a clean dish towel or paper towel.

The cornflour and vinegar that is added strengthens the egg white and make it more stable and you get the marshmallowy centres from the shorter cooking time.

Baking powder is a leavening agent that is used to give baked goods a light, fluffy texture. When added to meringue, it helps to aerate the egg whites and gives the meringue a light, airy texture. I can see no need or reason for baking powder in meringues, all you need are egg whites, sugar and a little boiling water.

What happens if you don't add cream of tartar to meringue? ›

The bottom line: For smooth, stiff beaten egg whites that keep their shape, don't skip the cream of tartar. If you don't have cream of tartar, substituting 1/4 teaspoon lemon juice or white vinegar per egg white works almost as well. To avoid meringues that weep, don't skip the cream of tartar...

The sugar also enables the meringue to stretch and have a high content of air bubbles that can make the meringue light and airy. Typically, refined white granulated sugar is used; however, it is a simple carbohydrate with no beneficial health effects, although it does improve consumer perception.

Eggs whipped at room temperature will get the same result. We recommend using fresh, cold egg whites for meringues. They make a foam that is easier to work with, and the baked meringues have a more delicate and uniform texture.

The advice to keep your whites clean and free of yolk or other fat is based on a truth: Fat can interfere with the beating of egg whites into a stable foam, and it does have the potential to completely ruin the batch.

You can't overbeat meringue - It's true! You can't ruin it by mixing too much, so once all of the sugar is added, be sure that your meringue is glossy and that you have super firm, stiff peaks when you remove the beater from the mixer. Don't be afraid to mix a little longer if it appears too soft.

While sugar helps stabilize those whipped egg whites as you beat more air into it, there's still a risk of collapse. Cream of tartar is an added safeguard; it gives more stability to that foam structure, therefore setting up your meringue for success.

Egg-white proteins contain both hydrophilic and hydrophobic amino acids. Since the egg white protein is curled up into a spherical shape surrounded by water, the hydrophobic amino acids are in the centre of the sphere and the hydrophilic amino acids are outside of the sphere closer to the water.

Stabilizers, such as vinegar, lemon juice, and cream of tartar, encourage the amino acids to bond together, making the meringue stronger and less likely to deflate. They do this by donating positively-charged hydrogen ions to the egg white's negatively-charged protein strands, which neutralizes the meringue.

A mild acid will help give your meringue more volume and structure, which means they will inflate more fully and hold the air longer. You don't need much: about 1/4 teaspoon of cream of tartar for every two to three egg whites should do the trick.