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Meringue is a whipped egg white and sugar mixture used as a topping for cakes or as cookies or shells for desserts. It can be made with an electric or stand mixer, or by hand using a copper bowl. Meringue can be flavored and is a low-fat treat, but the sugar content should be considered. Italian meringue cookies are less sweet and keep better than typical bakery cookies. Meringue shells can be filled with ice cream or custard, but should be filled just before serving. There is a risk of salmonella when using raw egg whites, but this can be reduced by whipping them in a hot water bath or adding hot melted chocolate.
Meringue is whipped egg whites often combined with sugar that can be baked, as a topping for cakes, or as cookies or shells for specific desserts. The unbaked meringue is used to fill popular dessert favorites like chocolate mousse.
Making an uncooked meringue is a simple process when you have an electric or stand mixer. When whipping egg whites by hand, the process is more labor-intensive and can require both arm strength and patience. Many cooking experts recommend using a copper bowl for hand whipping, as the copper ions tend to migrate into the mixture and form a stiffer meringue that’s harder to deflate.
Depending on the recipe, the meringue can be beaten into soft peaks or hard peaks. Generally the stiffer whites are used for recipes that call for them to be cooked through. When cooked to hardness, this also takes time in a low-temperature oven.
When baked on cakes, the meringue should retain some of its fluffiness. For biscuits, it is usually baked for an hour or a half or more in a 250°F (121°C) oven to dry the inside completely so that the biscuit or tart shell is crispy.
The meringue is also liable to soften quickly in moist conditions. The outside may remain tough but the inside becomes chewy. Some people like cookies of this type, but hard cookies tend to require preparation in dry or weather conditions.
The cookies can be flavored and are a popular choice as a low-fat treat. Since they contain no flour, they are relatively low in carbohydrates and since they only have egg whites they are significantly low in fat. However, the amount of sugar added tends to outweigh the benefits. They’re a better choice for the occasional treat for dieters than a traditional cookie with a base of butter or shortening.
Italian meringue cookies often have almonds or hazelnuts added, and are often made with chocolate, vanilla, or lemon flavors. These can be found in the US in Italian American bakeries. They are less sweet than what you might find in a typical bakery or grocery store. They also tend to be more difficult and keep better.
Sometimes a meringue shell can be baked and filled with ice cream. This is typically called meringue glacée. Most cooking experts recommend stuffing the shells at the last minute whenever possible, as this will make them crispy. A tart filled with Italian cream or custard may also be tempting, but it should also be filled just before serving.
Some are concerned about using meringue in raw form, as doing so could expose one to salmonella. You can whip egg whites in a bowl in a hot water bath, which warms them up and tends to reduce this risk. Plus, additions like hot melted chocolate cook egg whites and eliminate the risk of accidental food poisoning.
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