French Meringue

17/11/2023

French meringue is a classic and delicate dessert, perfect for those who love light and crispy textures. Here is a basic recipe for preparing French meringue:

Ingredients

4 room temperature egg whites
250 g of granulated sugar
A pinch of salt
A few drops of lemon juice or white vinegar (optional, helps to stabilize the egg whites)

Preparation

Pre-heat the oven to 90-100 °C, and prepare a baking sheet by lining it with parchment paper.
In a clean, dry bowl, whip the egg whites with a pinch of salt until they start to foam. You might add a few drops of lemon juice or white vinegar to help stabilize the mixture.
Gradually add the sugar while continuing to whip. Proceed until the egg whites are stiff and glossy, and the sugar is completely absorbed. The mixture should form stiff peaks when the whisk is lifted.
Using a spoon or a piping bag, form small quenelles or tufts of meringue on the prepared baking sheet.
Bake in the oven for about 1.5-2 hours, or until the meringues are dry to the touch and can be easily removed from the parchment paper without leaving any moist residue.
Once baked, turn off the oven and leave the meringues inside with the door slightly open to cool down completely.

Curiosity

French meringue is the basis for many other desserts, such as Eton Mess or pavlova, and also for decorations and cake fillings. For instance, you can crumble it and mix with fresh fruit and whipped cream for a quick and delicious dessert.

Remember that the egg whites must be free of any yolk trace and that the bowl where you whip the egg whites must be perfectly clean and dry to achieve a good whip. Enjoy your preparation!