Meringue recipes look simple: beat egg whites with powdered sugar and sometimes lemon juice. But to get a really airy dessert, you need to do everything right.

1. Meringue eggs should not be the freshest, but about a week old. The whites of such eggs are beaten better.
2. Separate the whites from the yolks. Even if a little yolk gets into the protein mass, it simply will not whip.
3. You need to separate the proteins from the yolks immediately after you get the eggs from the refrigerator. But before whipping, the proteins should stand at room temperature for half an hour. Thanks to this, the base for the meringue will be more airy.
4. Beat egg whites in a clean, dry bowl. Mixer attachments should be the same. Even with a drop of water or fat, you will not be able to whip the egg whites into foam. For reliability, you can first wipe the dishes with lemon juice, and then with a paper towel.
5. Use powdered sugar instead of sugar. If it is not available, regular sugar can be ground in a coffee grinder. The protein mass is whipped better with powder. In addition, grains of sugar may remain in the meringue, which means that the dessert will not be so tender.
6. Powdered sugar should be added after you whip the egg whites into foam, and not before. It needs to be poured in portions, about a teaspoonful, while continuing to beat the egg mass.
7. Lemon juice is added at the end so that the mass does not lose volume. Based on the calculation of ½ teaspoon of juice per 1 egg white. But if you have a fairly powerful mixer, which has already beaten the proteins into a stable foam, you can not add juice. In any case, it will not harm the finished dessert in any way.

How to cook meringue in the oven

This is a classic way to make meringue airy and beautiful.

Ingredients

• 3 egg whites;
• 180 g of powdered sugar.

What else can be added to meringue

The taste and appearance of classic meringue will help diversify:

• vanillin;
• cinnamon;
• food extracts or flavors (vanilla, almond, mint, fruit, etc.);
• food coloring (gel coloring will make the meringue more shiny, and powder coloring will make it matte);
• crushed;
• cocoa;
• coconut shavings.

They are added to the protein mass at the end of cooking.

But be careful. Oils (such as in nuts) and liquids can interfere with foam formation. Therefore, it is better to add quite a bit than to overdo it and ruin the meringue.

If you want to add food flavorings, never use those that contain alcohol. It also won't let the squirrels rise.

Cooking

Separate the whites from the yolks. Beat the whites with a mixer first at low speed for about 30 seconds. When the whites just start to foam, increase the speed to medium and beat until a thick white foam forms.

Then gradually add powdered sugar. Turn off the mixer and mix the meringue base with a spoon, collecting the protein mass from the walls, which was splashed during the whipping process.

Then beat for a few more minutes at high speed. You should get a thick foam of a uniform consistency. You can check the readiness of the meringue base, oddly enough, by lifting the container with it upside down: the protein mass should remain in place.

Put the finished base in a piping bag. You can get by with an ordinary spoon, but it will not be so beautiful.

Preheat oven to 100°C. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and form the meringue on it.

Put the baking sheet in the oven on a medium level for 1-1.5 hours. Cooking time depends on the size of the meringue: the smaller they are, the faster they will be ready. Too large meringues will take about 2 hours.

Do not open the oven during cooking. Due to the temperature difference, the meringue may crack. The finished meringue should easily separate from the parchment.

After cooking, turn off the oven, open the door slightly and leave the meringue inside to cool completely for several hours.

How to cook meringue in a slow cooker

Meringue from a slow cooker is no different from meringue from the oven. This cooking method is suitable, for example, if it is not possible to use the oven.

The proportions of the ingredients and the method of preparing the meringue base also do not differ from the classic recipe. But keep in mind that you will have to cook the meringue in portions or reduce the amount of ingredients by 2-3 times.

Cooking

How to cook meringue in the microwave

This meringue will not be as airy as a dessert from the oven or slow cooker. In the microwave, meringue warms up from the inside, so after cooking it quickly settles.

The advantage of this method is that you need very little time. And the meringue will turn out more crispy.

The amount of ingredients and the method of preparing the meringue base are different from the classic recipe.

Ingredients

• 1 egg white;
• 150 g of powdered sugar.

Cooking

Separate the protein from the yolk. Mix protein and powdered sugar. You can do this with a mixer, or you can use a whisk or a regular spoon. You will get a thick dough that you can knead with your hands.

Divide it into several small pieces and roll them into balls. Put the balls on a dish covered with parchment or paper towel, at a fairly large distance from each other.

Cook the meringue at maximum power for 30 seconds. During cooking, the dough will spread, so the meringue will turn out flat.

How and how much to store meringue

Meringue does not tolerate moisture well, so it will become damp in the refrigerator. It should be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.

Many housewives dream of making delicious meringue cookies at home. A variety of recipes pleasantly surprises those who plan to try their hand at the culinary field.

This dessert is easy and quick to make. The main difference is the use of high-quality food coloring.

Ingredients:

• 3 egg whites;
• 150-180 grams of sugar;
• vanilla;
• gel food coloring.

Cooking method:

1. At the first stage, the whites are carefully separated from the yolks.
2. Sugar and vanilla are added to the egg whites. Now make a steam bath. The protein is heated until the sugar is completely dissolved. Whipping is not required. The finished protein mass is poured into a mixer cup, whipped. Initially, the mixer runs at medium speed, after which - at high speed. Proteins are whipped until peaks are obtained.
3. The meringue is carefully transferred to a baking sheet, which was previously covered with baking paper. At this point, food coloring is used. Insert skewers into cakes.
4. The dessert is dried in the oven for about 1-1.5 hours at a temperature of 90-100 degrees. It is recommended to keep the oven door slightly ajar. Then the oven is turned off. The meringue is temporarily left. Cakes must cool, after which they are taken out.

Bright meringue cookies are prepared according to the classical scheme. However, the use of food coloring allows you to get beautiful cookies.

This meringue is prepared using natural vanilla. As a result, the taste of the dessert becomes tender.

Ingredients:

• 3 egg whites;
• a glass of powdered sugar;
• half a teaspoon of natural vanilla seeds.

Cooking method:

1. The first step is to beat the egg whites until stiff. Then continue to beat the protein foam and gradually add powdered sugar.
2. Vanilla is added to the protein foam. Mix thoroughly.
3. Transfer the beaten egg whites to a pastry bag.
4. The baking sheet is covered with parchment paper. On a baking sheet with a pastry bag (syringe) lay out small cakes. Dessert is made in the form of sticks.
5. The oven is heated to 80-100 degrees. The tray is placed in the oven. Cookies are dried for 1.5-2 hours with the oven closed. Then the cakes are left in the oven until completely cooled. After about 1.5 hours, the dessert will be ready.

Delicate meringues with vanilla flavor will appeal to many sweet tooth who love classic gourmet pastries.

Such meringue cookies are distinguished by the use of anise. As a result, the dessert is fragrant and tasty. Many sweet tooth will note: anise goes well with classic egg pastries.

Ingredients:

• a glass of brown sugar;
• a little more than a full glass of wheat flour;
• 2 eggs;
• a teaspoon of anise

Cooking method:

1. Initially, a teaspoon of anise seeds is ground into powder. To do this, use a coffee grinder.
2. Now a glass of brown sugar and 2 eggs are beaten at medium mixer speed for 15-20 minutes. Sugar should be completely dissolved. The mass should become dense and white. If a powerful mixer is used, the desired result will be achieved faster.
3. The flour is sifted with anise powder.
4. Flour with anise is added to the egg-sugar mass. Gently mix the ingredients with a special spatula. It is not recommended to interfere for a long time. However, the ingredients must come together.
5. Now the baking sheet is covered with special parchment paper or a silicone mat. Transfer the dough onto a baking sheet.
6. Cakes are laid out at a small distance from each other. Anise grains are carefully placed on each liver. Then the cookies are left for a while, as they must be infused, dry, covered with a dense crust. Then the dessert is baked for 12-15 minutes at a temperature of 160 degrees Celsius.

Fans of meringue and anise will like this delicacy. The taste of a traditional cake is transformed by the use of the right spice.

Beginners and experienced housewives alike can make different meringue cookies at home. For example, a delicacy, if desired, can be made in the form of mushrooms.

Ingredients:

• half a glass of egg whites;
• a glass of granulated sugar;
• 100 grams of chocolate;
• a tablespoon of natural cocoa powder;
• a teaspoon of vanilla sugar;
• a pinch of salt and cream of tartar.

Cooking method:

1. Initially, the oven is heated to 110 degrees. Now lay out baking sheets covered with parchment paper or aluminum foil.
2. In a bowl, beat the whites with a mixer until a frothy mass appears. Add cream of tartar, vanilla, salt. They continue to beat. The result should be a soft protein foam.
3. Gradually add sugar. Otherwise, the protein foam will sit on the bottom. Proteins should form a strong foam.
4. Now use a confectionery syringe. It is filled halfway with proteins. Cookies are made using a round nozzle. Cakes are immediately decorated in the form of mushrooms. It is not desirable that all parts look the same, since the confectionery mushrooms should be natural. Hats are sprinkled with cocoa powder.
5. Cakes are baked for 1 hour in a preheated oven.
6. Then melt the confectionery chocolate in a bowl over boiling water or in the microwave. You should get a homogeneous chocolate mass. Make a hole at the bottom of the mushroom cap, grease with chocolate mixture, lightly press both parts. After the chocolate hardens, the top and bottom stick together.

These cookies in the form of mushrooms with chocolate are stored in a dry place at room temperature.

Almond meringue is prepared according to the principle of well-known bars, so the appropriate ingredients are selected.

Ingredients:

• 3 egg whites;
• half a glass of sugar;
• three-quarters of a cup of roasted salted peanuts;
• 140 grams of milk chocolate;
• almond extract;
• lemon juice;
• a pinch of salt.

Cooking method:

1. Initially, whites, almond extract, natural lemon juice are whipped. Soft peaks of the protein mass should appear.
2. Gradually add sugar.
3. Beat egg whites until sugar dissolves and firm peaks appear.
4. The baking sheet is covered with food paper. Small cakes are made with a pastry bag or spoon. They are baked for about 1.5 hours at 100 degrees, waiting for them to cool.
5. Peanuts are roasted and salted. Temporarily set aside.
6. Chocolate is melted in a water bath.
7. The cake is dipped in chocolate and nuts. Then put on a baking sheet and wait for the chocolate icing to harden. Now the dessert is ready. Bon Appetit!

The delicacy is stored at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Summer meringue cookies are added with strawberries. Delicate fruity taste will appeal to many sweet tooth.

Ingredients:

• 4 egg whites;
• a glass of sugar;
• 100 milliliters of heavy cream;
• 40 grams of powdered sugar;
• 140 grams of strawberries.

Cooking method:

1. Initially, the proteins are cooled to 4-6 degrees, whipped to a stable foam.
2. In 2-3 doses, sugar is added to the proteins.
3. The protein mass is placed on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper.
4. Cakes are dried at 80 degrees for 2-5 hours. The finished meringue should be evenly brittle.
5. Ready cookies are cooled.
6. Take 40 grams of strawberries, grind in a blender to the state of strawberry puree.
7. Then prepare the cream. To do this, whip the cream until a stable foam. Cream is divided into 2 equal parts. Strawberry puree and powdered sugar are added to one part. The other part is left without additions.
8. Now whipped cream is laid out on cookies, chopped strawberries are laid. Top with buttercream and chopped strawberries. The resulting pyramids are again covered with meringue, lightly pressed. Dessert is ready.

This strawberry cake is perfect for summer when you want to enjoy fresh strawberries.

Cookies are prepared according to a certain scheme.

1. Use protein dough. The main ingredients will be egg whites and sugar.
2. Proteins are qualitatively whipped in a chilled state. The use of citric acid is also recommended.
3. Protein foam is deposited in the form of balls or the desired shape on a baking sheet. Use a pastry bag for this.
4. Cookies are baked for about half an hour at a temperature of 120 degrees or dried for several hours.
5. Improper baking is usually caused by poorly whipped egg whites. The cake will be delicious with high-quality whipping of the ingredients.
6. The finished dessert is decorated. According to the classics, chocolate and nuts are used.

Properly prepared meringue cookies promise to be a classic dessert with a delicate taste.

Ah, meringue!.. Tender, crispy, crumbly or, conversely, soft, like cotton candy inside and with a crispy ruddy crust on the outside... Mmmm, delight! No wonder the refined French called this delicacy a “kiss” (from French Baiser).

In pre-revolutionary Russia, meringue was called the "Spanish wind". It is also called meringues, and it is believed that it is more correct to call this dessert that way, because meringue is a protein cream, and meringues are the same cream, only dried. However, let's leave linguistics aside and try to cook this amazing dessert.

In general, the composition of the meringue is simple, like everything ingenious: proteins and sugar. Sometimes nut flour, starch, but this is not so significant. However, a short list of ingredients does not mean that preparing a fragile dessert is easy and simple. Meringue is a delicate, capricious substance, like a spoiled lady, and can bring many surprises and disappointments to an inexperienced chef.

Therefore, before you open the refrigerator and take out a tray with eggs, arm yourself with theoretical knowledge of the subject and strictly follow the strict rules for making meringue, and then everything will work out for you!

You can cook meringue in three ways.

french way

This is the simplest one, it can be used for trying to master this dish, as well as for making meringues in simple shapes, without fine patterns. The protein mass turns out to be lush, strong, but with clearly visible bubbles, so deposit virtuoso roses on a baking sheet do not make sense, they will “float”, if not immediately, then during baking. Therefore, you need to cook cakes from it in the oven or in the microwave without any special tricks - just oval cakes.

Ingredients:

• egg whites- 2 pcs
• Salt - a pinch
• Sugar or powdered sugar

French meringue is prepared like this: chilled whites of two eggs, pour into a saucepan or bowl, add a pinch of salt to them and start beating with a mixer or whisk (in general, this can be done even with a fork, it will only take a long time) until a strong foam. Then we begin to gradually add powdered sugar or sugar to them, continuing to beat. Powder will need approximately two hundred grams per protein. However, the exact amount of powder is determined "by eye", since it must be added to proteins until a certain point - the appearance of so-called "hard peaks". This is when the cream does not fall from the mixer or whisk raised up, and the peaks (“icicles” from meringue) do not bend under their own weight.

Italian way

cooking meringue differs from French in that rather steeply boiled sugar syrup is poured into whipped proteins instead of sugar. The syrup is poured in a hot, thin stream, and the whipping of the proteins in no case stops until the whole mass cools down.

This method is ideal for making creams - boiling syrup brews proteins, and the resulting cream does not fall off. With this cream, you can layer cakes, cook cakes with it, fill tubules or eclairs, decorate any dessert.

In addition, cream prepared in Italian mixes perfectly with butter, while “regular” meringue flows from contact with fat.

Ingredients:

• Egg whites - 2 pcs.
• Sugar syrup - about 300 g
• Citric acid or lemon juice

First, boil sugar syrup: two parts sugar, one part water, a little lemon juice. For a meringue of two proteins, you need to take two hundred grams of sugar per hundred grams of water. Beat the whites in a strong foam and, continuing to beat, pour hot syrup into them in a thin stream. Beat the cream until the mass is completely cool.

swiss way

cooking meringue is the most time consuming, due to the fact that you have to build a steam bath. But the meringue prepared in this way is the strongest, most persistent and dense. From the steamed mass, you can deposit the most fancy cookies, and they dry very quickly, faster than all the others, and you can draw beautiful intricate patterns with it.

Ingredients:

• egg whites
• Granulated sugar
• Lemon juice

The cooking method is: over a pot of boiling water, dishes with proteins and sugar are placed (one protein - one glass of sugar). The bottom of the pan should be heated only by steam and not in contact with water. We begin to beat the whites first at the lowest speed of the mixer until all the sugar has dissolved. And after that we add speed and beat until ready, getting a white, dense, thick cream at the exit.

So, the cooking method is chosen, and you are determined to surprise your guests with wonderful meringues. Stop for a few more minutes and remember a few very important rules, without which you will not succeed.

Rules for the preparation of "Meringue"

The optimal ratio of proteins to sugar is 1:2.6. In order to bake one baking sheet of small cakes, I take 3 eggs and 0.5 tbsp. Sahara.

Proteins must be fresh! Only fresh proteins are able to retain air and give a dense thick mass.

To obtain a high-quality mass, proteins are cooled to a temperature of + 2 ° C before whipping (i.e., we take it from the refrigerator immediately before whipping). Uncooled proteins do not whip well, and the baked semi-finished product will be vague. Sugar for meringue, by the way, is also best to cool.

Separate the whites very carefully so that not a drop of yolk gets into them. This is done as follows: over a separate dish, break the egg with the blunt side of the knife so that the shell cracks. Carefully break open the egg and release the protein into the bowl. The yolk remains in one of the shells. Just carefully pour the yolk into another shell, while the remaining protein slips into the bowl, and the clean, intact yolk remains in the shell.

Try to break each egg over a separate bowl, pouring the squirrels into a bowl - no one will find a surprise in the form of a rotten egg flopped into the rest of the squirrels pleasant.

It is advisable to grind sugar into powder or buy ready-made powdered sugar in the store. The size of the grains will not affect the quality and taste, you just have to beat the protein mass much longer, because this must be done until all the sugar has dissolved. Otherwise, the remaining grains will crunch on your teeth.

First, beat the proteins until their volume increases by 4-6 times, then slowly add vanilla powder, sugar All sugar is not added immediately, but several times (thin stream or small spoons)

When whipping proteins, it is good to use citric acid - in powder, in diluted form, or just lemon juice. Citric acid is diluted at the rate of 1 tsp. powder for 2 tsp. water. Citric acid is added to taste, sometimes a few drops are enough, but if you like a sour taste, you can add more, for example, a teaspoon of acid. Just don't use acetic acid!

Dishes and whisks should be not just clean, but perfectly clean, free of grease and any impurities. By the way, when choosing dishes for whipping, keep in mind that the volume of whipped proteins will increase four to five times. In addition, the bowl in which you beat the egg whites must be dry, otherwise the egg whites will not beat well.
To degrease, wash dishes in slightly soapy water, then rinse in very hot water. Wipe the dishes with a completely clean and dry cloth. For final assurance that there are no traces of grease, wipe the bowl and whisk with a slice of lemon.

Proteins should not be beaten in a metal bowl, otherwise they will darken.

There should be little protein so that the whisk does not completely sink into them, otherwise aeration will be impossible and the proteins will not beat well. The more proteins you use, the longer the whipping should be at each stage.

It is believed that it is better to beat the whites with a whisk, as they heat up from an electric mixer, so there may be a thin foam. But, as a rule, they beat well with a mixer: o)
First, the whites should be beaten at a slow speed for 2 minutes, until a yellow foam forms. If there are more than two proteins, then you need to beat longer.
Then you need to switch to medium speed and beat for another minute, and finally, continue whipping at maximum speed until the desired stage.

You can’t beat the whites for too long, because in this way you will achieve the opposite effect: the mass will not be airy and fluffy, but smooth and dense. Meringue from it, alas, you can no longer bake. Five to seven minutes of intense whipping is enough.

It used to be thought that even a drop of water could negate all efforts to beat the egg white. Now this statement is being refuted with might and main by experienced chefs, and some even add a few tablespoons of water to the proteins so that the dried meringues become especially brittle and dry. It is usually recommended to pour a teaspoon into proteins very cold water- so they beat better.

Sometimes a pinch of salt is added to the proteins before whipping - it gives strength to the proteins.

Catching the moment when the proteins are whipped to the maximum volume is difficult for a novice cook. However, this moment can be determined experimentally. There are three proven methods. In the first case, after stopping the whipping process, slightly raise the whisk so that the whipped proteins can form a peak. If the whipped protein does not fall off and clearly holds its height, then your work has been crowned with success. But if the whipped egg whites are to be used later in other ingredients, such as for a cake or soufflé, then the protein peaks should be slightly plastic, dropping slightly when the whisk is raised.

In the second case, just try to slowly and carefully turn the pan of squirrels upside down. If, at the same time, the foam does not try to drain along the walls, but holds firmly in the pan, the squirrels are ready.
In the third case, simply place a knife or fork (with cloves or a point on the bottom) in the center of the pan with protein foam. In strong whipped foam, both the knife and fork will stand firmly without the help of your hands.

If, according to the recipe, a little flour, starch or ground nuts are required to be added to whipped proteins, then the flour and starch should be sifted to saturate them with air, and the nuts should be fried and ground as thinly as possible.

The baking tray should be prepared immediately so as not to mess with it later, when the protein mass is already ready and begins to quietly settle from impatience and boredom. Lay tracing paper, parchment paper or special baking paper lightly greased with margarine (butter) on a baking sheet. If you grease it with fat, the bottom of the cakes will tear, if you don’t grease it at all, you will eat meringue with paper.

You can lay out portions of the protein with a spoon or a confectionery syringe. You can transfer the protein mixture into a plastic bag, cut off the tip on one side and gently but quickly (since air evaporates, the quality becomes low, density increases, shape stability decreases) squeeze the resulting mass in the form of balls onto a baking sheet. Leave the distance between the "blanks", the meringue will increase in size.

If you decide to bake air baskets, then draw identical circles on the back of the baking paper (circle the bottom of the glass), fill the pastry syringe or cornet with a smooth round nozzle and fill the circles by squeezing the dough, moving in a spiral. Then, along the edge of the circles, deposit the dough in the form of a side in one continuous strip, or often plant small stars along the edge. After baking and cooling, fill the resulting baskets with cream or jam.

To get even cakes on the reverse side of the paper, draw a circle or rectangle of the desired size with a pencil, then put the dough into a confectionery syringe or cornet and deposit the meringue along the drawn contour, moving in a spiral. You can start from the center, or you can start from the edges, it doesn’t matter.

Meringue should be placed in a preheated oven, let it heat up while you spread the mass with a teaspoon on a baking sheet covered with tracing paper. I set it to 150°C.
After you place the meringues in the preheated oven, they should immediately rise. As soon as the meringues "grow", you immediately need to immediately reduce the heat to a minimum (about 100 ° C), otherwise they will burn. Leave for approximately 2 hours. It is recommended to dry the meringues in the oven at a low temperature for a long time (one and a half to two hours), then they will dry well and turn out to be light, with a delicate texture.

By the way, my friend lights the oven only when she has already put a baking sheet in it and immediately turns it on to a temperature of 100 ° C - and her meringues are excellent. And it only takes 40-50 minutes to bake. Apparently a lot depends on the oven itself.

Cooking time depends on the size of the meringue and the characteristics of the oven. Do not open the oven for at least the first 30 minutes, otherwise the meringue will settle. But it’s better, in my opinion, not to open the oven for at least 1 hour, although some housewives believe that, unlike many other pastries, it is possible and even necessary to open the oven while cooking meringues - they open it slightly with an inserted pencil. Determining readiness is simple: baked meringues easily move away from the sheet.
The finished meringue is not white, but slightly creamy.

Ready (but still hot) meringues remain soft until cool, so they can be left in the oven off.

In order to remove the meringue cakes from the paper, place the cake along with the paper on the edge of the table and slowly slide it towards you, holding the cake with one hand, while pulling the paper down with the other. Acting carefully enough, you will get the cake whole and unharmed. Removing small meringues from paper is usually not a big deal.

For a new portion of meringue, take a fresh sheet of tracing paper each time.

Shaking should not be allowed during meringue baking - do not slam doors and windows, do not allow children to run and jump around the kitchen.

Ready-made meringues can be decorated with cream, poured with some syrup, shifted with berries, but, in my opinion, they are quite tasty on their own.

To prevent the meringue baskets from melting under the influence of cream, jam or jam, make a layer of melted chocolate. To do this, melt the grated chocolate in a water bath in a small amount of milk or cream, stirring constantly and periodically removing from the steam so that the chocolate does not curl from excessively high temperature, stir until smooth and smear the inside of the baskets with a brush, trying to apply chocolate with a good layer. The same operation can be done with cake layers - this will only add a crispy chocolate note to your dessert.

In order to decorate meringue cakes, you can prepare, for example, chocolate-nut cream. To do this, roast the nuts and grind with a blender. Melt the chocolate in a water bath and cool slightly. Meanwhile, whip the cream (preferably 35% fat). Chopped nuts and melted chocolate are added to the whipped mass. Using a pastry bag, meringue cakes are decorated with cream on top.

Meringue can be fastened in pairs (whipped cream or buttercream) and cooled.

Store the finished meringue in a dry place. You can store them in plastic bags, otherwise they will pick up moisture from the air and not be crispy.

That's all. Hard? Try to cook and see for yourself.

	1. Carefully separate the proteins from the yolks and pour into a deep non-metallic bowl.
	2. Pour sugar or powdered sugar (a glass of sugar for every four to five proteins) into a separate cup and set aside.
	3. Start whipping the whites with a mixer, gradually increasing the speed.
	4. As soon as the protein foam becomes saturated white and acquires some density (you can check with a spoon), we begin to add sugar little by little (preferably one dessert spoon).
	5. Beat the foam until all the sugar is completely dissolved.
	6. At this stage, nuts, grated chocolate, condensed milk, or anything else to your taste can be added to the protein mass. Any "addition" is carefully mixed into the foam with a spoon.
	7. The readiness of the mass for baking is checked as follows: they collect foam in a slightly damp spoon and turn it over. The foam must not run out, fall out or lose its shape.
	8. On a sheet lined with parchment or foil, using the same spoon or pastry syringe, lay out cakes (the shape and size depend only on your desire).
	9. Meringue is dried in the oven at a minimum temperature (no more than one hundred degrees). Depending on the size of the cakes, the meringue dries for an hour or two. Ready-made cakes will turn out crispy and slightly crumbly.

Based on materials from kedem.ru, cherrylady.ua, domznaniy.ru

As you can see, making meringue at home does not require any super-complex skills. It's simple, fast, and most importantly, delicious! Bon appetit and culinary victories!

PS. Meringue is a delicious delicacy, but girls who are on strict diets should always remember that the calorie content of the dessert is very high: 100 g draws 310 kcal.

Irina Kamshilina

Cooking for someone is much more pleasant than for yourself))

Content

Captivatingly sweet French delicacy, crispy on the outside and melting inside is called meringue. In our country, it is better known as meringue. If ready-made cakes are called meringues, then meringue is a creamy mass from which they are baked. There is also an option with the degree of readiness of the sweet dish: the meringue is completely crumbly and dry, while the meringue has a soft core. Regardless of the name, the dessert is made from the same ingredients. How to make meringue correctly? The secrets of its preparation are not very difficult to remember.

Recipes for making meringue at home

Baking air cookies at home is very simple, the main thing is to stock up on time, because the process of drying proteins takes at least an hour. At home, the dessert turns out to be much tastier than factory-made pastries, it does not contain preservatives and is prepared from fresh ingredients. You can serve meringues as an independent dish, garnished with cream and fruit, or combined with biscuits, ice cream.

Classic egg white and sugar recipe in the oven

For a regular meringue, a minimum of products is required:

• egg white - 4 pieces;
• white sugar - 250 grams;
• a few drops of lemon juice.

Cooking steps:

1. Place egg whites in a clean bowl and start beating.
2. When they become cloudy, add a small amount of sugar and lemon juice.
3. In the process of whipping, all the sugar is added. The resulting consistency should be shiny and smooth, keep its shape.
4. With the help of a pastry envelope or a tablespoon, drop the cakes on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper.
5. Bake at a temperature of 80-110 degrees for an hour and a half. Let cool right in the oven.

How to cook in the microwave

Baking airy cookies is not the fastest process, but the microwave oven makes it much easier. You only need 2 ingredients:

• egg white - 1 piece;
• powdered sugar - 270 grams.

Recipe:

1. Pour powdered sugar into a bowl.
2. Add chilled egg white.
3. Using a spoon, rub the mixture until white for about 5 minutes.
4. We line the turntable of the microwave with baking paper.
5. We spread the resulting cream in portions on a dish, if the mixture is too thick, you can form it with your hands into small balls.
6. We bake for 1 minute at a power of 750 watts. To prevent the cake from falling off, do not open the microwave door during cooking until it has cooled down.

How to bake with nuts in a slow cooker

In the absence of an oven, it is possible to cook meringues in a slow cooker, for this you will need:

• proteins - 2 pieces;
• nuts (almonds, hazelnuts or peanuts) - 30 grams;
• white sugar - 60 grams;
• a teaspoon of lemon juice - 1 piece;
• a pinch of salt.

How to cook:

1. Combine egg whites with salt and beat at low speed.
2. After 2-3 minutes, add lemon juice and a little sugar to the mixture.
3. Gradually pour in the remaining sugar, continue to beat until a strong shiny mass is obtained.
4. Grind the nuts into crumbs, with the help of a spatula carefully fold into the whipped proteins.
5. Cover the bottom of the multicooker with baking paper, lay out.
6. Bake with the lid open for an hour and a half on the “Baking” mode.
7. Cool the finished cake for 30 minutes at room temperature.

How to cook meringue for a cake

Some cake recipes include a layer of whole cake or decoration with protein pastries. How to make a unique meringue for a cake? The composition of the protein dough:

• medium-sized egg whites - 5 pieces;
• fine sugar - 320 grams;
• vanilla sachet.

How to bake meringue for a cake:

1. Beat egg whites until stiff peaks form.
2. Add sugar with vanillin to the protein mass in small portions, continuing to beat for about 7 minutes. The mixture should keep its shape well, not spread.
3. Flatten the whipped squirrels laid out in a mold with a knife or spatula so that the top does not have to be cut off and the cake is even.
4. Bake on greased pastry paper, in a shape corresponding to the size of the future cake.
5. It is necessary to dry the meringue for the cake in a heated oven at a temperature of 100 degrees for about 1-2 hours.
6. Before lubricating with cream, be sure to cool the finished cake.

How to make a meringue cake with GOST cream

Cake "Air", which we remember from childhood, you can cook with your own hands. Crispy meringue and delicate butter cream are perfectly combined, forming a mouth-watering delicacy. Dessert is prepared in accordance with GOST:

• egg white - 140 grams (4 pieces);
• white sugar - 280 grams;
• a pinch of citric acid.

Cooking process:

1. Beat egg whites at room temperature until firm and stiff.
2. Add citric acid, sugar and beat until a snow-white smooth mass is obtained.
3. Drop the dough immediately onto a baking sheet lined with baking paper.
4. Bake for about 1.5 hours at 100 degrees. Ready meringue should crumble when broken.

Charlotte's Custard Layering contains the following:

• fresh butter - 100 grams;
• white sugar - 90 grams;
• egg yolk - 1 piece;
• vanilla sugar - 0.5 sachets;
• low-fat milk - 65 grams;
• cognac - 1 tablespoon.

Cooking:

1. Mix the yolk, milk, sugar and heat over low heat until boiling, turn off after 2 minutes, cool to room temperature.
2. Separately, beat softened butter with vanilla sugar, add the cooled egg mixture, then cognac, without ceasing to stir well.
3. Lubricate the cakes with the resulting cream and glue them in pairs, as in the photo below.

Sometimes it turns out that the mass does not thicken and does not whip. What to do? In this case, you can add lemon juice or cool the proteins, and then beat again. It is better to beat the proteins in a plastic or glass bowl with a mixer with a whisk attachment or a whisk, but do not use a blender. At what temperature should meringues be baked? It depends on the desired result. Crispy, crumbly meringues are obtained at 80–110 °C, and softer ones at a temperature of 160 °C or more. Little secrets of cooking meringue:

• Before cooking, wash chicken eggs thoroughly with warm water and neutral soap. This greatly reduces the risk of salmonella infection.
• To prepare a more tender meringue, you need to use not cold proteins, but at room temperature.
• If the whites for the meringue are liquid even after a long whipping, they were probably poorly separated from the yolks, or moisture or fat got into the whipping bowl.
• To get a homogeneous mass, it is better to use powdered sugar or fine sugar.
• Sugar should be added slowly and in small portions.
• For dry meringues, egg whites should be beaten to "hard peaks" to get meringues with a soft or runny center, beating should be stopped when the mass takes on more rounded peak shapes.
• Ready meringue is stored at room temperature: in the refrigerator it will become damp and lose its qualities.

An interesting fact: meringue is sometimes jokingly called “forgotten cookies”, because it takes a long time to cook, and after baking it can still be in the oven for some time (languish, cool down).

How to make tender meringues at home? Remember to wash your eggs thoroughly with warm soapy water. The most important thing is to beat the whites correctly. When beaten properly, sugar grains dissolve and are not felt in the finished dessert. But if you are cooking meringue for the first time, it is still better to take powdered sugar. To make dry meringue, the protein is whipped very hard, to stiff peaks, and then dried for a long time in the oven at a temperature of 70-100 degrees. And if you want a soft or even liquid center, then it is better to stop when the proteins are whipped to medium peaks. The main ingredients of any meringue are proteins and sugar, but this recipe suggests adding a little more flour to make the cookies a little heavier and so that they are not too brittle. For garnish, leave out a few whole nuts and pick something sour, like fresh berries, citrus chunks, or pomegranate seeds.

Ingredients:

for meringue cookies:

• 5 proteins;
• 1 pinch of salt;
• 1/4 tsp citric acid;
• 200 g of sugar;
• 2 tbsp flour of the highest grade;
• 2 tbsp cocoa powder;
• a little powdered sugar for dusting.

for cream:

• 200 g butter;
• 3 tbsp raw condensed milk;
• a pinch of citric acid;
• couple drops of vanilla extract (optional)

Recipe for airy chocolate-nut cookies "Meringue" with butter cream