The Christmas holiday season is upon us, and it’s time for potlucks and gatherings with family and friends. Whether you’re tasked with making desserts or cooking for the whole party, these meringues are a perfect way to finish off a meal. They’re light and airy – simply a melt-in-the-mouth creation that goes perfect with a dollop of cream and strawberries.
I am a big planner and I’ve made these meringue way ahead in advance. They keep really nice for a week to even up to two weeks.
Tips for making meringues:
- Use super clean beaters and mixing bowls
- Cream of tartar helps to stabilise the egg whites, creating a more voluminous and resilient shape
- Add the sugar slowly, one tablespoon at a time, allowing it to dissolve completely before adding more. This gradual addition helps create a smoother meringue
- Incorporate the vanilla extract, after the meringue has reached stiff peaks. This ensures that the meringue is stable before adding additional ingredients
- Add dollops of whipped egg white underneath your baking paper to keep it from moving as you pipe the meringue onto the sheet
- Bake the meringue at a low temperature (110°C) to ensure slow and even drying. This helps create a crisp exterior while maintaining a soft, marshmallow-like interior
So gather those eggs! It’s time to give this meringue recipe a crack (lol). Tag your creations @ultimateomnoms on Instagram so I can give you a shoutout!
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat your oven to 110°C and line a baking tray with baking paper
- Ensure that your mixing bowl and beaters or whisk are completely clean and dry
- In the clean, dry mixing bowl, beat the egg whites on medium-low speed for about 1 min until they become frothy
- Add the cream of tartar and increase the speed to medium-high. Continue beating the egg whites until they reach soft peaks
- Gradually add the castor sugar a little at a time while continuing to beat the egg whites. Beat until stiff, glossy peaks form
- Once all of the sugar has been added, increase the speed to high and add the vanilla extract
- Use a piping bag or spoon to create the desired meringue shape on the baking paper
- Bake the meringues in the preheated oven for 1.5- 2hours or until they are dry to the touch and can be easily lifted off the parchment paper without sticking
- Once done, turn off the oven and leave the meringues inside with the oven door slightly ajar (you can use a wooden spoon to prop it open) for about 1 hr. This slow cooling process helps prevent cracking
- Once the meringues are completely cool and dry, brush gold edible dust onto the cooled meringues
