My freezer is far from perfect and tends to collect frost like a small glacier.
I tuck items away in it, neatly wrapped, and weeks later everything is rimed in frost, as if a polar breeze has blown through. Over time the ice builds up on the shelves until the interior feels like an arctic exhibit.
Part of caring for this freezer is a regular defrost routine: use up the contents, turn it off, let the temperature rise, remove the thick ice sheets (a strangely satisfying task), clean the interior, and start over.
The most time-consuming step is, of course, using everything up. That can take weeks — I have a squirrel-like tendency to hoard. On my most recent clear-out I found a small tub with two leftover egg whites, remnants from a batch of squeeze cookies that required only the yolks.
Leftover egg whites usually become coconut macaroons, langues de chat, or delicate tuiles in my kitchen. This time, however, an irresistible urge to make meringues took over. It would be my first time making them properly, and I was excited.
Confession: historically I haven’t been a big meringue fan. As a child, my sister often chose those large, pale pink swirled meringues when we called in at the bakery for an afternoon snack; I could never see the appeal of a large, dry mound of sugar that shed crumbs down your shirt. I preferred chocolate-coated sablés instead.
So why the sudden change? I’d just read an excellent how-to in the copy of Delicious. I brought back from Australia, and the article convinced me that French meringue was well within reach.
Two preferences from my old opinion remain: 1) I want a meringue with a mallowy heart — a little chewy center that’s satisfyingly sticky — and 2) I want real flavor. The first goal is achieved by careful baking and cooling; the second by using a good flavoring or, as I did, an unrefined cane sugar with toffee notes that had been steeped with an empty vanilla pod.
If you’ve never made meringues, or you haven’t in a long time, give this recipe a try: summer is an ideal season for light sweets to top cups of berries or ice cream. I’m already imagining variations with cocoa, floral syrups, ground nuts, or sandwiching them with ganache or fruit preserves.
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* I have long avoided recipes that require whipping egg whites; my stand mixer has been a big help in changing that.
** This recipe produces what is technically called French meringue, as opposed to Italian meringue (made with cooked sugar and not baked) or Swiss meringue (whisked over warm water then cooled).
*** The sugar I used was light brown, which tinted the batter and gave the meringues a pale tan color.
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As a side note, if you read French magazines you might be interested to know the May/June issue of ELLE à table has been refreshed and includes a new column I’ve written.
French Meringues
– 3 large egg whites, at room temperature (see note 1)
– 175 grams (3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons) sugar (see note 2)
– 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (or your preferred flavoring)
Preheat the oven to 140°C (285°F) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Place the egg whites in a large, completely clean and dry bowl. Using an electric whisk or the whisk attachment on a stand mixer, beat the whites until soft peaks form (see note 3).
Continue whisking while adding the sugar gradually, one tablespoon at a time, making sure each addition is fully incorporated before adding the next. Once all the sugar has been worked in and the mixture is smooth, firm and glossy, whisk in the vanilla.
Using two tablespoons, drop ping-pong- to golf-ball-sized mounds of meringue onto the prepared sheet, leaving about their own width between each. You can pipe them if you prefer a neater shape; I like the free-form look. At this stage you can also sprinkle sliced almonds over them if you like.
Bake for 45 minutes for soft, chewy centers, or about 1 hour for fully set centers. For soft centers, remove the tray from the oven, let it rest for 5 minutes, then transfer the meringues gently to a rack to cool. For fully baked meringues, turn the oven off, crack the door open, and let them cool inside for a couple of hours.
The same batter can be used to make larger meringues or a single pavlova disk — simply increase the baking time accordingly.
Note 1: I had just 2 egg whites, so I scaled the recipe down accordingly. Frozen and thawed egg whites also work well. Older eggs (several days old) often whip better.
Note 2: I used unrefined light brown cane sugar that had an empty vanilla pod steeping in it, so I omitted additional vanilla extract.
Note 3: Start mixing at low speed until bubbles form on the surface, then raise to medium for about a minute before finishing at high speed until soft peaks form. Soft peaks hold their shape briefly when the whisk is lifted but don’t stand completely upright.
Adapted from an article that appeared in the February ’08 issue of Delicious.