Whether you're a novice baker or a professional pastry chef, meringue is undoubtedly the baking ingredient we come into contact with on a regular basis. But it seems that the material is simple, the production is simple, and such a simple meringue, how much do you know about it? Today we're going to talk about meringue!
What is Meringue?
Meringue is a white, fluffy, creamy food that is very similar to cream. Meringue is made by whipping egg whites with sugar, it takes advantage of the foaming properties of egg whites, and the foaming of egg whites is produced by stirring air into the egg whites to form a thin protein solution film surrounded by air.
Uses of meringues.
It can be used in mousses, soufflés, angel cakes and sponge cakes, as well as frosting, and its main role is to provide lightness and volume. It can also be baked in a low-temperature oven to make macaroons, cake layers, and flan crusts, among other things.
Classification of meringues.
1. Classification according to the ratio of sugar and egg white: it can be divided into hard meringue and soft merindigo, the ratio of egg white and sugar in hard meringue is 1:2, and the ratio of egg white and sugar in soft meringue is 1:1.
2. According to the different production methods, meringue can be divided into: French meringue, Swiss meringue, Italian meringue. Next time, we'll talk about the differences between these three types of meringue separately.
Factors influencing meringues.
1. Sugar. Sugar has a great effect on the stability of meringues. Adding sugar slowly allows time for the sugar crystals to dissolve so that the foam doesn't disappear. If you add sugar too quickly, it may cause the egg whites to not be whipped and foamed.
When adding sugar, you can add fine caster sugar so that the sugar can dissolve quickly.
2. Oil and emulsifier.
Oils and emulsifiers interfere with inflation by coating the proteins, preventing them from spreading and clumping, resulting in meringue whipping failure.
Therefore, when beating meringue, we should pay attention to the fact that the whipping tool must be oil-free and water-free, and at the same time, the separated egg white must not be stained with egg yolk, otherwise it may lead to failure to whip.
3. Acid. Acidic substances can make the whipped meringue more stable, so you can add tartar powder, lemon juice, and white vinegar to stabilize the meringue.
Tips: In addition, the temperature of the egg white, the time and speed of whipping have a very important impact on the meringue, so you should pay more attention when making the meringue.
Meringue is simple to operate and can enrich the taste, taste and appearance of cake pastries, therefore, if you want to make a good pastry or cake, meringue is undoubtedly a very important link, and you must master its characteristics!
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