Become the Master of Meringues

How many failed dishes have you made that required beaten egg whites?  Whether the frothy egg whites become part of the dish or splendidly sit on top, if you don’t beat them correctly, you’ll know immediately by the resulting dish.  Maybe your Angel Food cake didn’t rise like it should.  Or you couldn’t get those delicate Dairy Queen-like spikes to hold up on your Lemon Meringue pie.  With the following tips, you should never fear that your dish won’t be at its best.

• Separate the whites from the yolks when the eggs are cold.
• Allow the whites to come to room temperature to get the strongest foam.
• Make sure the bowl and beaters are clean of any fat and completely dry.
• Add your sugar and a pinch of cream of tartar after the whites have started to become frothy.
• Continue to beat until stiff peaks form.  You’ll know they’re at the right consistency if, when you drag a spatula through the meringue, the whites don’t fall back into the valley you created.
• Use immediately since meringue can harden quickly.
• If you are topping something with the meringue and want to brown it, you can either put it under the broiler or use a kitchen torch, held at a 90-degree angle about three inches from the surface of the meringue.  Continuously move the flame over the meringue until it starts to brown.

Have a recipe you’d like to share that uses beaten egg whites?