French Meringue Food

FRENCH MERINGUE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• In a mixer, begin to whip the egg whites with cream of tartar, if using.. Slowly add the sugar. Whip the whites until stiff peaks.
• Combine flour and confectioners' sugar (and nut powder if using), then fold into whites.
• Load batter into pastry bag (use open star or any desired shape IF NOT using nut powder otherwise use no tip), and pipe quarter size meringues onto grease free parchment paper. Bake for 5 to 7 minutes until browned. Remove and cool before use.
• Pipe buttercream from cake assembly into some of the meringues for a surprise.
• Apply meringues to the cake after applying a heavy crumb coat. Cover completely. Put fresh berries or dollops of cooled, piped chocolate ganache between any gaps of the meringues.

BASIC FRENCH MERINGUE

Steps:

• Whisk whites, salt, and cream of tartar with a mixer on medium-low speed until foamy. Add sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, whisking until sugar dissolves and soft peaks form. Gradually increase speed to medium-high, and whisk until stiff peaks form, 8 to 10 minutes. Use immediately.

FRENCH MERINGUE COOKIES

Steps:

• Adjust the oven racks to upper-middle and lower-middle positions and heat the oven to 225°F Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Combine cornstarch and sugar in a small bowl.
• In a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites, vanilla, and salt at high speed until very soft peaks start to form and the foam just starts to gain volume (peaks should slowly lose shape when whisk is removed) about 30-45 seconds.
• Reduce the mixer speed to low and slowly add the sugar mixture in a steady stream down the side of the mixer bowl. This process should take about 30 seconds.
• Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula.
• Turn the mixer back on to high speed and beat until glossy, stiff peaks have formed, about 30-45 seconds.
• Working quickly and carefully, put meringue mixture into a pastry bag fitted with 1/2" tip. Pipe the meringues into 1 1/4"-wide mounds about 1" high. Try to fit 6 rows of 4 meringues on each baking sheet.
• Bake for 30 minutes, then rotate pans front to back, top to bottom, and bake for 30 more minutes.
• Turn off the oven and allow the meringues to cool for at least 1 hour (or 2 if a humid or rainy day). Remove from oven and allow to cool to room temperature before serving (about 10 minutes).

AUTHENTIC FRENCH MERINGUES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F (95 degrees C). Butter and flour a baking sheet.
• In a glass or metal bowl, whip egg whites until foamy using an electric mixer. Sprinkle in sugar a little at a time, while continuing to whip at medium speed. When the mixture becomes stiff and shiny like satin, stop mixing, and transfer the mixture to a large pastry bag. Pipe the meringue out onto the prepared baking sheet using a large round tip or star tip.
• Place the meringues in the oven and place a wooden spoon handle in the door to keep it from closing all the way. Bake for 3 hours, or until the meringues are dry, and can easily be removed from the pan. Allow cookies to cool completely before storing in an airtight container at room temperature.