Pesach is drawing close, which for many people means cutting back on extras in the kitchen. I know people don't use many processed items, so that can definitely be a huge challenge. Recently, I was working on an ice cream feature that will soon debut in the Whisk section of Ami Magazine. There's really only a handful of ingredients I could use for this feature, so I tried to be as creative as possible. That's where the idea to share this "how to: basic meringues" post, came in. It uses only 3 ingredients (even 2, if you really want) and it's fairly simple to make.
What do I need to make meringues?
- Egg whites
- Granulated sugar
- Vanilla extract for flavor
How to: basic meringues:
Start by pouring the egg whites into the bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attached. You can also do this with a hand mixer, but don't attempt to do this by hand, or your hand will fall off. Whip the whites for a couple of seconds, until they get foamy. Next, slowly pour in the granulated sugar, a little bit at a time, and whip the whites until stiff peaks form.
How do I know when the egg whites are ready?
- Remove the whisk from the bowl. The meringue on the whisk should stand straight up and not flop over.
- If your adventurous, you can hold the bowl upside down. If the meringue falls out, it's not ready!
- Test by rubbing the meringue with your fingers. If you still feel the sugar granules, keep whisking!
What equipment do I need to form the classic shape?
- A piping bag- preferably disposable for easy cleanup
- A star tip (I like to use size 1m)
- A parchment lined baking sheet
Forming and baking
Transfer the meringue to a piping bag fitted with the star tip. Pipe the meringues onto the parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for approximately 1 hour, or until the outside is firm. Cool and store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 weeks.
More snacks:
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How to: Basic Meringues
Ingredients
- 4 egg whites
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 225F. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat egg whites until they are foamy. Start slowly adding sugar to the bowl and continue mixing. Beat until stiff peaks form.
- To test if the meringue is ready, rub the mixture in between two fingers. If you still feel the sugar granules, keep mixing! You can also hold up the whisk. If the meringue on it flops over, keep whisking. Mix in the vanilla extract.
- Fit a piping bag with a star tip (I used the 1m) and pipe meringues onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for an hour or until the bottom is lightly golden and the exterior is firm.
I hope you enjoyed this simple how to post! Look out for more of them coming your way. Feel free to ask me any questions below or message me over on Instagram.
