I’m starting today with the most difficult task first so everything else will be easy peasy, from here on out. I promise!
My interest in Italian meringues started when I was trying to make a meringue sturdy enough to pipe onto my sourdough lemon tart. But, because I never quite landed on which piping design was best so I left it out, mostly. Until, I chanced upon pastry chef Hanbit Cho’s video tutorials. On top of that, going for a couple of formal pastry lessons also helped me achieve meringue-success so much sooner rather than later.
And it IS easy, I can assure you.
There are signs to look out for, checkpoints and tools to help you achieve the perfect Italian meringue, every single time.
For a fuller description and more detailed step-by-step instructions, tips and tricks, do check out my YouTube channel, here.
Now, here’s my version of the classic Italian meringue, with a hint of passionfruit, that perfectly complements the taste of lemon tarts. And I hope you have all these, at the ready, before you begin.
INGREDIENTS
Hot sugar syrup
| Sugar | 100g |
| Passionfruit juice (no seeds) OR juice of choice OR water | 30g |
Meringue
| Egg whites | 45g |
| Castor Sugar | 20g |
METHOD
| 1. | Beat egg whites and sugar, on high, until stiff peaks. Pause beating. |
| 2. | Add juice or water to sugar in saucepan, heat until mixture hits 118°C. Do not stir. |
| 3. | Start beating egg whites, on high again, while pouring a slim, steady stream of hot syrup down the sides of the mixing bowl |
| 4. | Beat until meringue is very hard. |
| 5. | Pipe or use meringue, as desired, when it reaches at least 30°C or room temperature. |
As a general guideline, meringues don’t keep very well. So for best results, use it the same day you make it!
Leftover meringue could also be piped into meringue kisses (using piping tips 6B or 807) to make the most delicious meringue biscuits that could be stored up to a month in an airtight container.
I hope you give this recipe a try and let me know how you go, @lovelynettetan.
Mastering the meringue will open wide the doors to the pastry world of soufflés, chiffons and angel cakes, macarons, and so much more!
Hi, this is a comment.
To get started with moderating, editing, and deleting comments, please visit the Comments screen in the dashboard.
Commenter avatars come from Gravatar.