About Meringues

Delicious meringues top cream pies or form the basis of other rich desserts. These versatile treats come in many flavors and need to be prepared and stored properly.

Meringues Defined

Meringues are thick whipped egg white and sugar desserts.

Types of Meringue

Meringue is served baked or unbaked. Unbaked meringue should be prepared over a bowl of hot water or a hot flavoring, like chocolate, can be added to reduce the possibility of disease caused by raw egg consumption.

Uses of Meringue

Soft unbaked meringue can be used in mousses or other chilled desserts. Baked meringue is used to make cookies or pie shells and can be piped into interesting shapes to decorate other desserts.

Baking Meringue

Baked meringue can be prepared so it is soft or crunchy. Cookies are generally made from harder meringue so they are cooked for one to two hours at low temperatures, approximately 250 degrees F. Softer meringues, used as pie toppings, are baked at 350 or 375 degrees F for about 15 minutes.

Humidity Concerns

Humidity makes meringue turn soft inside so make it on a cool day. To minimize softness, allow meringues to dry fully, pack them in a sealed container and place them in a cool area.

References

• Meringue - Sweet and Delicious

Resources

• Grandma's Lemon Meringue Pie