Makes about 10 large ones.
Ingredients
300g caster sugar (golden if you prefer a more caramelized flavour and color)
5 eggs, whites only, at room temperature
Lemon slice (optional)
Directions
1. Heat the oven to 200C. Spread the sugar over an oven tray lined with baking parchment and cook until it has just begun to melt at the edges, but not caramelize (about 8 minutes).
2. Meanwhile, crack the eggs, being careful not to drop any yolk into your whites. If you lose any bits of shell, scoop them out with a clean spoon rather than your fingers.
3. Wipe the inside of your mixing bowl, and the whisk, with the cut side of the lemon and add the eggs. As soon as you spot the sugar beginning to melt at the edges, set the mixer to whisk at high speed while you take the sugar out of the oven.
4. The mixture should be just foamy by the time you add the sugar. Wearing oven gloves, pick up the baking parchment with oven gloves and tip the hot sugar slowly into the still-whisking mixer. Continue whisking until the mixture has cooled, and is glossy and will hold its shape. Turn the oven down to its lowest setting.
5. If you want to fold through any spices or other flavorings, or roll the meringues in nuts or another topping, this is your moment – but they'll be pretty good as they are.
6. Line a baking tray with parchment, and spoon the meringue on in great gorgeous blobs – remember they'll increase in size as they dry out. Put them into the oven and bake until they are crisp on the outside, and sound hollow when tapped on the bottom: depending on their size, this could take six hours, so don't wait up.
7. Turn the oven off and leave them in there until it has cooled, then immediately transfer to an air-tight container.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/wordofmouth/2010/aug/19/how-to-make-perfect-meringue
Egg-White Whipping Stages
- Foamy: Large bubbles, very loose with a cloudy, yellowish liquid developing into bubbles.
- Soft Peaks: Bubbles have tightened into a white foam with a ribbon that folds back into itself. You can pull the whites into a "peak" but they won't hold one.
- Firm Peaks: Glossy, firm and smooth. You can pull whites into a peak that will curl but not stand.
- Stiff Peaks: Glossy and very stiff. Peaks are stiff enough to "cut."
When beaten, egg whites can expand to up to eight times their original volume. Sugar not only adds sweetness, it also stabilizes the egg whites by coating them with sugar so they can be beaten longer and don't dry out as fast. Sugar also decreases the volume and lightness of the meringue, so it is important that the sugar be added gradually, and usually never before the egg whites have been whipped to at least four times their original volume
You should beat the egg white until the just hold their peaks but will gently fold over not flop over
Try putting in a pan of water under the cookies when baking in the oven. This really helps in baking cakes, cookies, cheesecakes
Ok sounds like your not beating the egg white enough in the first place. It should to soft peak not hard peaks. I make meringue desert shells and it's just about the same. You should beat the egg white until the just hold their peaks but will gently fold over not flop over. It sounds like your not getting enough air into the meringue in the first place so they can't dry out when you bake and cool them. If your keep them in your oven to dry than you should not open the oven door at all. Just keep it closed until they are dried out. My desert shells usually dry with in 4 to 6 hours. Then I store them in a zip lock bag or some other air tight container. They don't last too Long here though.
Here's the recipe I use for cookies!
2 large egg whites, at room temperature
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
2/3 cup superfine granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips or finely chopped semisweet chocolate
1 cup finely chopped walnuts
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat egg whites until foamy. Add the cream of tartar and beat until fluffy but not at all dry. (Be careful not to over beat.) Add the sugar gradually, about 3 tablespoons at a time. When 1/2 of the sugar has been added, add the vanilla extract. Continue beating and adding remaining sugar in batches, until all of the sugar is dissolved and the meringue is very shiny and tight. Gently fold in the chocolate chips and chopped nuts. Working one teaspoon at a time, push a teaspoonful of meringue from the tip of 1 teaspoon with the back of another teaspoon onto the lined baking sheets, leaving 1-inch of space between cookies. Place baking sheets in the preheated oven and turn the oven off. Leave the cookies (undisturbed) in the oven for at least 2 hours and up to overnight, or until cookies are crisp and dry.
Whipping egg whites are much like blowing air into a balloon. Beating or whisking causes the protein in the egg whites to unfold, forming films that trap the air bubbles, and the sugar stiffens the foam. A meringue is really nothing but a foam, and foam is a big collection of bubbles. Fat interferes with the formation of a good foam in the egg whites. Fats tend to collapse merengue
Tips For Meringue Success
- When making meringues, always cook egg whites or use purchased pasteurized egg whites to avoid salmonella poisoning.
- Use fresh egg whites. Old egg whites tend to collapse when other ingredients are folded in, and they don't rise well in the oven.
- Use eggs at room temperature if possible. Cold egg whites tend to reduce meringue volume.
- Never let any yolk get into the whites.
- Don't overbeat egg whites. (Overbeaten egg whites will look hard, lumpy or dry). When whipping egg whites, always start your mixer on medium-low to medium speed. Beat them until foamy and increase the speed to medium-high and then to high. If the egg whites are beaten too quickly at the beginning, the structure of the foam will not be as strong, and later the egg whites will not beat as high as they should.
- A small amount of cream of tartar or vinegar can be added to the mixture at the beginning of whipping to help stabilize the foam and make it less likely to collapse.
- Don't use plastic bowls – they can retain a film of fat from previously mixed or stored items that can deflate the meringue.
- Don't make meringues on humid days. Humidity causes meringues to be sticky and chewy.
- Bake meringues at low temperatures because they tend to brown quickly.
- Leave hard meringues in the oven after baking so they will cool slowly and not crack.
Egg White Meringue - How To Make Perfect Meringue
Whipping egg whites are much like blowing air into a balloon. Beating or whisking causes the protein in the egg whites to unfold, forming films that trap the air bubbles, and the sugar stiffens the foam. A meringue is really nothing but a foam, and foam is a big collection of bubbles. Fat interferes with the formation of a good foam in the egg whites. Fats tend to collapse egg foams.
Age of Eggs:
Meringue recipes work better with eggs that are at least 3 or 4 days old. Thin, older egg whites whip more easily to a higher volume than thick, fresh egg whites. Once whipped, the foam from thin whites is less stable because the liquid film drains more easily from the bubbles. If volume is more important than stability, then older eggs are better to use. For better stability, a good rule of thumb is to use fresher eggs for meringues, saving older ones for general baking.
Don't make egg white meringues on a rainy or really humid day (remember that they are mostly air and if that air contains a lot of water, it will have an effect).
Separating Eggs:
Cold eggs separate more easily than those at room temperature because the whites hold together better.
To separate an egg: Crack the egg and hold the shell halves over a bowl. Transfer the yolk back and forth between the halves, letting the white drop into the bowl. Do not cut the yolk (whites containing any yolk will not beat properly). Transfer the yolk to another bowl. - The tiniest bit of fat or egg yolk will wreck a meringue, as fat interferes with the formation of good foam. When separating eggs, if a speck of egg yolk falls into the egg whites, lift it out with an empty eggshell half. Do not try to fish it out with your fingers; the oil on your skin will prevent the egg whites from expanding.
- Avoid letting your fingers touch the areas that will come in contact with the egg whites. That way, you'll avoid leaving oils from your hands on the utensils you just washed.
After separating, bring egg whites to room temperature to ensure volume when beating (as warmer eggs whip faster than cold eggs). Egg whites right out of the refrigerator will not whip well. The ideal temperature to whip a common meringue is room temperature, about 70 degrees F. (21 degrees C.). Usually 30 minutes is adequate to obtain room temperature.
A beaten egg white can foam to 6 to 8 times its original volume if the egg whites have been at room temperature for 30 minutes before beating.
Bowls and Utensils:
Copper, stainless-steel, or glass bowls work best for making meringues. Avoid using plastic bowls for whipping egg whites as they can often harbor traces of grease or fat, which prevents the whites from getting stiff. Whichever type of bowl you use, be sure it is spotlessly clean.
Make sure that all your utensils are immaculately clean, completely grease-free, and completely dry. Meringues are very sensitive and they don't like any moisture.
Place the egg whites into a large, tall bowl and set your mixer to medium-high speed. NOTE: I would not hand beat a meringues (too much work). Beating or whisking causes the protein in the egg whites to unfold, forming films that trap the air bubbles, and the sugar stiffens the foam. As the mixing time increases, the bubbles become smaller and more numerous; this increases the volume and makes a more-stable structure.
Adding Sugar:
Do not add sugar before whipping the egg whites. Adding sugar at the beginning can double the time you have to whip the egg whites to get a foam. Add the sugar at the very end when the whites have formed soft peaks.
I like to use superfine sugar when making meringue because it dissolves faster than table sugar. When beating egg whites and the recipe calls for sugar, Gradually add the sugar, a few spoonfuls at a time and beating the whole time.
As a general rule, add a total of 1/4 cup of granulated or superfine sugar for each egg white. Do not make meringues that have less than 2 tablespoons of sugar per egg white. If you use any less, the foam will not set and the meringue will shrink.
To tell if the sugar is dissolved when you are beating egg whites for meringues, rub a bit of the foam between your fingers. If it feels gritty, the sugar is not dissolved, so keep beating for a few minutes.
By varying the amount of sugar in the final mix, you control how hard or soft the final meringue will be:
For soft peaks - place egg whites in a clean glass or metal bowl (not plastic), and beat with an electric mixer on medium speed or with a rotary beater until egg whites form peaks with tips that curl over when the beaters are lifted. For stiff peaks, continue beating egg whites on high speed until they form peaks with tips that stand straight when the beaters are lifted.
For stiff peaks - continue beating egg whites on high speed until they form peaks with tips that stand straight when the beaters are lifted.
Once you start a making whipped egg whites, continue it straight through and finish it off. Do not stop halfway to take a break.
The meringue is done when it is not runny and when you can hold a spoonful of it upside down and none of it drops off. Also when you swirl a spoon through it and the swirls hold their shape indefinitely.
Using Meringue:
Make the meringue first - then prepare the filling (such as pie filling).
Place meringue on the piping-hot filling to begin cooking the bottom of the meringue. The residual heat carried by the filling cooks the base of the meringue ever so slightly, making it less prone to leaking or shrinking.
Baking Meringue:
Meringues will become more done if you bake them at a lower temperature for a longer time. Bake at 325 degrees for 20 to 30 minutes.
Cutting Meringue:
To cut baked meringue into serving pieces, use a knife dipped in cold water.
Storing Meringue:
There is no simple solution to this problem to the problems of storing a meringue-topped pie. This type of pie is best served the day it is made.
Remember, meringue pies only last a day or two, and then the meringue starts breaking down. If you place any cooked meringue in the refrigerator (no matter how long you baked it), it will bead and weep. Prepared meringue pies should be stored under an inverted bowl at room temperature.
However, custard and cream meringue-topped pies (especially when using eggs in the filling) always have to be kept refrigerated because the filling is perishable. Any pie containing pumpkin, custard, or cream pies are very good breeding grounds for bacteria.
So what to do - You can make the pie filling up to two (2) days before serving, but it's best to make the meringue the day the pie is served.
The best solution is to make the pie filling the day before you want to serve the pie and store it in the refrigerator. Then the day you want to serve and eat the pie, make the meringue and put it on top of the pie.
Storage
- Meringue pie should be refrigerated in a cake dome.
- Baked meringues should be stored in airtight, moisture-free containers. They can usually keep for a week at room temperature and up to a month in the freezer.
Meringue Types
A simple, uncooked meringue is made by beating egg whites, and adding in sugar until very stiff, shiny peaks form. Due to concerns about possible bacteria in raw eggs, powdered egg whites or pasteurized eggs found in the refrigerated section of your grocery store are recommended.
Italian and Swiss meringues are cooked. French meringue is baked.
Italian meringue is made by slowly beating hot sugar syrup into stiffly beaten egg whites and is used in frostings and atop pies and cakes.
Swiss meringue is made by dissolving sugar and egg whites together over simmering water and then beating in an electric mixer. It is often used as a base for buttercream frostings.
French meringue is made by gradually adding ultrafine sugar to whipped uncooked egg whites until the whites form stiff, shiny peaks. The meringue is then piped into shapes and baked. It has a light, crisp texture and is often used as a "nest" to hold fruit or sorbets.
Sweet Fact: You need at least 1-1/2 tablespoons of sugar per egg white to get a stable meringue.
Sweet Fact: French (hard) meringue = 4 tablespoons of sugar per egg white.
Sweet Fact: Italian (soft) meringue = 2 tablespoons of sugar per egg white.
Tip
- Add a tablespoon of cornstarch dissolved in heated water to whipped egg whites for a hard meringue that cuts smoothly.
Stabilisers
One of the golden rules of meringue making is that all of your equipment must be scrupulously clean, without a speck of grease, or it will be much more difficult (although not impossible, as is often claimed, according to the food chemist, Hervé This) to produce the desired foam with your ingredients. Marcus Wareing suggests rubbing your mixer bowl with half a lemon before beginning, to eliminate any last specks of fat before you beat the egg whites, which is an excellent idea. There's nothing sadder than a baking failure.
There are other tricks the cunning chef can employ to improve the chances of achieving a stable foam. The most common is adding a little acid, such as vinegar, more lemon juice, or cream of tartar, to the mixture, after the sugar. According to Larousse Gastronomique, this also helps to make it "crisp on the outside, soft and sticky on the inside".
Using Marcus Wareing's "perfect" recipe as my control, I make two batches of meringues. Both use the whites of 3 large eggs, whisked to soft peaks in the food mixer (unless you're a masochist, meringues are not something to be attempted by hand), and 200g caster sugar, added in spoonfuls between the soft and stiff peak stage. One is finished off with a pinch of cream of tartar, as suggested by Leiths Baking Bible, then both are spooned onto lined baking trays, and go into the oven at 100C for an hour and a half, until crisp. The cream of tartar meringues seem to have slightly stiffer peaks, and, when cooked, are more uniformly crunchy.
Technique
Most recipes call for the sugar only after the whites have been whipped to soft peaks – add it too early and you can kiss goodbye to a good strong foam. Yotam Ottolenghi, the capital's supreme meringue maker, has a different suggestion, however. In his first book, Ottolenghi, he gives a recipe which calls for the sugar to be heated to 100C before being added to very lightly whisked eggs which have "just begun to froth up". The whole is then whisked on top speed for 10 minutes, until the mixture is cool, and holds its shape.
It takes me a couple of goes to master this technique, which is like a cross between a French and an Italian meringue – my sugar keeps caramelising, and thus solidifying in the mixer bowl, but a few sacrificed eggs later, I think I've cracked it. The meringues on the baking tray look magnificent: as craggy and towering as the much-admired originals, but when I take them out of the oven, they've gone an odd shade of orange. They taste good, and they're easier to shape than the traditional recipe but the colour is very definitely off.
Using white sugar improves matters slightly, but they're still not fit for a shop window. (Interestingly, with this recipe, I can't detect a difference using cream of tartar, presumably because the make-up of the foam is slightly different when hot sugar is used.)
Temperature
Advice online suggests that my orange meringues may simply have been on a too high a temperature. Wedging the oven door open with a rolled-up tea towel or a wooden spoon, to prevent it overheating, is apparently one solution. Inconveniently, I seem to have the kind of oven that doesn't much feel like cooking when the door is open, so I'm not sure what to do.
I explain my dilemma to Peter Tar, a pastry chef for Tom Aiken, and meringue connoisseur. He shakes his head. "100C is too high. You need to put them in at 60C, 70C, overnight." You don't cook meringues so much as dry them out, apparently; evaporating the water to leave only the rigid structure of the egg and sugar mix, and the air bubbles in between. I try Ottolenghi's method, in the oven at its lowest setting, leave them for six hours, and the results are positively snowy. I feel extremely proud of myself: a proper meringue is a beautiful thing.
(4) Slip eggs carefully into slowly or gently simmering water by lowering the lip of each egg cup 1/2-inch below the surface of the water. 
Plastic Wrap - Take a piece of plastic wrap and lay it over a coffee mug, pushing the plastic down into it a bit. Then crack an egg into the plastic wrap and tie/twist the ends together tightly. NOTE: Leave a little air in the egg packet and maybe a drop of water.
Egg poaching in simmering water
Finished poached egg
Burgundy Salad with Poached Egg
