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Shaded Meringues

17/11/2023

Meringue is a dessert simple in its concept, but it requires attention and precision in preparation. Here is the recipe for shaded meringues, with a pinch of Italian creativity to make them even more special.

Ingredients

  • 4 egg whites (room temperature)
  • 250 g of granulated sugar
  • 1 pinch of salt
  • Food coloring (optional, to create the shaded effect)
  • 1 teaspoon of white wine vinegar or lemon juice (helps stabilize the meringue)

Preparation

  1. Preheat the oven to 90 °C (a low temperature is essential to dry the meringues without coloring them too much).
  2. Line one or more baking trays with parchment paper.
  3. In a large bowl, beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt until they start to froth. At this point, gradually add the sugar while continuing to beat. The meringue is ready when it forms stiff, shiny peaks.
  4. Add the white wine vinegar or lemon juice to further stabilize the meringue.
  5. If you want to make multiple colors, divide the meringue into several bowls. Add a bit of food coloring to each bowl and gently fold to avoid deflating the mixture.
  6. Place the colored meringue into a pastry bag with the nozzle of your choice.
  7. Squeeze the meringue onto the parchment paper, forming small domes or other shapes as desired.
  8. Bake the meringues for about 1 hour and 30 minutes at 90 °C. It’s important not to open the oven during baking to avoid temperature fluctuations that could ruin the texture of the meringues.
  9. Once baked, turn off the oven and let the meringues cool inside with the door closed for at least one hour, to prevent them from absorbing moisture and becoming sticky.
  10. When the meringues are completely cool, they can be removed from the oven and served.

Curiosity

Meringues have European origins, and although they are not a typical Italian dessert, in Italy they have spread into many regional variations, such as the “margheritine di Stresa,” typical of Piedmont. The addition of colorants to create shades is a modern touch to the traditional recipe, but it is also a fun and creative way to personalize this classic.