MERINGUE MASTERCLASS: TOP TIPS
• Astand mixer will help immeasurably to create any type of meringue, as it does all the hard work for you and ensures a good, even whisk.
• Make sure your mixing bowl is spotlessly clean. Even a hint of grease can prevent the egg whites from whisking properly, making the meringue less stable. Don’t use plastic bowls as they can harbour grease.
Eton mess and pavlova are a mong the most popular desser ts to end a dinner party. At their most basic they ’re assembly jobs, involv ing no skill beyond whisking cream and adding fruit. But those dry, ready-made mering ue nests and bases are nothing like the chew y-crisp homemade versions. Making a good mering ue is a key skill for any home cook, and while it can get a bit scientific (as any thing involv ing eggs, whisking and heat tends to), it ’s simple once you k now how. Let ’s take a look at the three types of mering ue and how they di ffer.
• Always use room temperature eggs (older rather than fresher) – cold ones will take longer to form soft peaks and will hold less air, which is what gives meringue its tex ture.
French