Hazelnut Meringue Bombs Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What must be avoided when making meringue? ›

Don't use plastic bowls—they can retain a film of fat from previously mixed or stored items that can deflate the meringue. Don't make meringues on humid days. Humidity causes meringues to be sticky and chewy. Bake meringues at low temperatures because they tend to brown quickly.

For the meringues, whisk the egg whites with the lemon juice until soft peaks form. Add the caster sugar and continue whisking until stiff, add the icing sugar and ground nuts, then gently fold through until evenly combined. Line a baking tray with baking paper and pipe or spoon out rounds of meringue into 7cm discs.

Thanks to the modern mixer, meringue making is a lot easier and older eggs aren't necessary. In fact, older eggs create a less stable foam because the liquid drains more easily from the bubbles. As a general rule of thumb, if stability is more important than volume, use fresher eggs.

Fat residue in your mixing bowl or on the beaters of your mixer is the mortal enemy of meringue. Fat will impair the egg white's ability to be whipped into stiff, glossy peaks. You can prevent this disappointment with one teaspoon of white vinegar.

Cornstarch: Cornstarch is an excellent way to foolproof your meringue. Use it to create added fluff and keep your hard-won volume from shrinking. Cream of Tartar: Often added in when making meringues, acidic cream of tartar provides lift and stabilization.

Low and slow is the way to go. Slow and steady is the fast and hard rule for any meringue. Start slow when whipping the whites for small and stable bubbles, slowly up the tempo so you don't over beat and then slowly add the sugar. This goes for your oven too.

Egg whites will produce a better, airier meringue if they start out at room temperature.

In a standing mixer fit with the whisk, or in a large bowl with an electric mixer, whip egg whites, cream of tartar, and salt together on medium-low speed until foamy, about 1 minute. Increase mixer speed to medium-high and whip until whites are shiny and soft peaks form, about 1 to 3 minutes.

Acid. Whether it be vinegar, lemon juice, cream of tartar, or a combination, an acid will greatly improve the structure of meringue. Acid not only helps meringue whip up and aerate more quickly, it also keeps it stable. Without acid, meringue is more likely to collapse either during or after mixing.

What is the most difficult type of meringue? ›

Italian Meringue Recipe

This type of meringue is commonly known as the most challenging of the three to master, but with the right technique you can create delicious desserts topped with this fluffy Italian treat.

What is a Good Cream of Tartar Substitute when Making Meringues? You can substitute lemon juice for cream of tartar when making meringues. The substitution ratio is 1:2 — for your recipe's measurement of cream of tartar, use double that amount of lemon juice.

If your whipped egg whites become curdled and dry, they have gone too far. After excessive whipping, the proteins can get so close to each other, they essentially suffocate and expel the water contained within their circle, causing your foam to separate.

You must be careful when separating eggs. While getting some egg whites with your yolks shouldn't impact your recipe too severely, getting egg yolks in egg whites can ruin your delicate French macarons and smooth meringues because the fat from the yolk minimizes the egg white's ability to fluff into stiff peaks.

Whip to just stiff peaks: once the meringue is thick and glossy you can turn the mixer off and check it by removing the whisk attachment and turning it upside down. As soon as you see no droop, stop. It helps to check it often so you don't risk overwhipping without realizing it.

One of the most common mistakes is not beating the eggs long enough, or on too slow a speed, which means the egg whites won't reach stiff peak stage and instead only reach a soggy droopy stage.

The speed of whisk, length of time whisking, cleanliness of egg (i.e. no yolk), state of the bowl (e.g. needs to be clean and dry) etc.

Beat a mixture of thickened cornstarch and water into the egg whites to bind and stabilize the liquid in the meringue (and keep it from seeping out).

Egg whites can be super picky about who they hang with. They don't do well with fat of any kind and sometimes simply refuse to whip in its presence. Yolks are about 30% fat and, if they find their way into a bowl of whites, it can quickly become messy. Small traces of yolk are fine though, so don't overthink this.