Il Cucinologo
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Shaded Meringues

17/11/2023

Meringue is a simple dessert in concept, but requires attention and precision in preparation. Here is the recipe for the shaded meringues, with a pinch of Italian creativity to make them even more special.

Ingredients

  • 4 egg whites (at room temperature)
  • 250 g granulated sugar
  • 1 pinch of salt
  • Food coloring (as desired, to create the shaded effect)
  • 1 teaspoon white wine vinegar or lemon juice (helps stabilize the meringue)

Preparation

  1. Preheat the oven to 90 °C (a low temperature is essential to dry the meringues without coloring them too much).
  2. Line one or more baking sheets with parchment paper.
  3. In a large bowl, beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt until they start to foam. At this point, gradually add the sugar while continuing to beat. The meringue is ready when it forms stiff, glossy peaks.
  4. Add the white wine vinegar or lemon juice to further stabilize the meringue.
  5. Divide the meringue into separate bowls if you want to make multiple colors. Add a little food coloring to each bowl and mix gently so as not to deflate the mixture.
  6. Place the colored meringue in a piping bag fitted with your choice of tip.
  7. Pipe the meringue onto the parchment paper, forming small domes or other shapes as desired.
  8. Bake the meringues for about 1 hour and 30 minutes at 90 °C. It is important not to open the oven during baking to avoid temperature fluctuations that could ruin the texture of the meringues.
  9. Once baked, turn off the oven and let the meringues cool inside with the door closed for at least an hour, to prevent them from absorbing moisture and becoming sticky.
  10. When the meringues are completely cool, they can be removed from the oven and served.

Trivia

Meringues have European origins, and although they are not a typically Italian dessert, they have spread in Italy in many regional variations, such as the “margheritine di Stresa,” typical of Piedmont. The addition of food coloring to create the shades is a modern touch to the traditional recipe, but it is also a fun and creative way to personalize this classic.