French meringue (basic dough)

Name: French meringue (basic dough)
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 120 min
Total time: 135 min
Yield: 30
Ingredients: Egg whites from about 3 medium eggs at room temperature 3.5 oz; Powdered sugar 1.6 cups; Food coloring to taste

it es fr de br

Lactose Free
Vegetarian

Difficulty: Average
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 2 h
Makes: 30 pieces
Cost: Very low

PRESENTATION

Pure and white like clouds, delicate and crumbly... they are excellent for enhancing desserts, while the greediest ones even crumble them into coffee or hot chocolate. These are meringues! An irresistible foam made from just two ingredients: egg whites and icing sugar.

It seems that the mixture originated in France, hence the name French meringue, but it soon became adopted by us as well. We could therefore say that the Italian meringue is a sort of alter ego to the French one. The real difference between the two lies in the way the egg whites are whipped: in French meringue, the pasteurization step through the water and sugar syrup is omitted, so the egg whites are whipped directly in a stand mixer. We also add a few drops of lemon juice to make the dough shinier and more frothy, but above all with a pleasant citrus scent that will make your meringues even tastier.

So, arm yourself with a stand mixer or electric beaters and get to work to prepare a perfect French meringue!

Also discover these meringue variants:

Swiss meringue
Vegan meringues
Shaded meringues
Red fruit meringues

Here are some delicious recipes with French meringues:

Cups with lemon cream and meringues
Meringue nests
Tricolor meringues
Double meringues with whipped cream and chestnut cream

INGREDIENTS
For about 30 meringues of 3 cm in diameter: Egg whites 3.5 oz (100 g) - from about 3 medium eggs at room temperature; Powdered sugar 1.6 cups (200 g); Food coloring to taste

Preparation

How to prepare French meringue (basic dough)

To prepare the French meringue, first separate the egg whites from the yolks. The eggs must be very fresh and at room temperature. For this recipe, you will only need the egg whites; you can use the yolks to make a great custard). Put the egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk 1, making sure there are no traces of yolk, otherwise they won't whip. Add half of the icing sugar 2 and start the mixer at medium speed. After a few minutes, stop the machine, add the remaining half of the icing sugar 3, and continue to whip at medium speed.

Whip the egg whites until they form stiff peaks. The mixture will be ready when it is shiny and frothy, and forms a peak on the whisk, the so-called “beak” 4. At this point, you can divide the meringue into different bowls 5 6.

Add food coloring as desired and mix 7. Transfer everything into a piping bag and squeeze out dollops onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper, making sure to space them well apart; this way, air can circulate and cook them evenly. Use smooth or star-shaped nozzles to create meringues of different shapes 8 9.

Unleash your creativity by varying shapes and colors 10 11, then bake in a static oven at 176°F (80°C) for 2 hours. Once baked and well-dried, let them cool completely before removing them from the trays. Your French meringues are ready to be served 12!

Storage

French meringue can be stored for a long time, as long as it does not absorb moisture: we recommend storing them at room temperature, under a glass dome or better yet in a tin box, for about a month.

Advice

French meringues can also be baked in a fan-assisted oven; they will dry out faster but may color slightly.

If you notice they crack on the surface, it means they're cooking too much or at too high a temperature. To check if they're cooked, gently lift them; they should be very light, and when opened inside, they should not be very dry.

You can also use a mix of icing sugar and granulated sugar, or just granulated sugar: the higher the percentage of granulated sugar, the more crumbly and rustic the meringue will be.

If you have the option, you can also use a dehydrator: in this case, do not make them too large and cook at 140°F-158°F (60°C-70°C) overnight.

For the translation of some texts, artificial intelligence tools may have been used.