Recipe - Meringue Taking The Mystique Out Of

*** NON NE *****

¥ Separate eggs when they're cold that's when they yolks and whites
divide most easily but whip the whites after they've been at room
temperature for at least 5 to 10 minutes that's when they'll puff most
prodigiously.

¥ Always separate eggs one at a time: Drop the white into a small bowl so
you can inspect it for any traces of yolk if it's fine, pour it into the
mixing bowl; if there's a speck of yolk, scoop it out or, to be cautious,
save the egg for anouther use.

¥ Make sure the mixing bowl and shisk are impeccably clean, dry, and free
of grease if you want to be super sure it's greasefree, rub your mixing
bowl with white vinegar and then dry it thoroughly before you beat the egg
whites.

¥ Use a heavyduty mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, or a handheld
mixer, to get the most volume out of whites; if your're whipping by hand,
use a whish and copper bowl the chemical reaction between the copper and
the whites works to increase the amount of air you can beat into the
whites.

¥ Add a pinch of salt or cream of tartar to stabilize the whites.

¥ Whip the whites to mediumsoft peaks before adding the sugar.

¥ Don't whip your whites past the point of gloss properly whipped whites
are firm and shiny; onerly whipped whites separate into small clumps.

¥ Use meringue immediately if you need to leave it for a few minutes,
keep the mixer going on low speed.

¥ Bake meringues at a temperature of between 175¡F and 200¡F until they are
dry and crispy and can be lifted off the parchment paper without effort.
Keep an eye on them they shouldn't color.

¥ Don't even think about baking meringues on a humid day they'll be as
sticky as the weather.

Per serving: 0 Calories; 0g Fat (0% calories from fat); 0g Protein; 0g
Carbohydrate; 0mg Cholesterol; 0mg Sodium

NOTES : Information source: Julia Child

Recipe by: Ron West

Posted to BakeryShoppe Digest by Ron West ronwest@centex.net on Feb 15,
1998