Italian meringue is cooked, it is prepared by whipping the egg whites with a sugar syrup at the exact temperature of 250°F, in fact, a pastry thermometer is necessary to perform the recipe. Making Italian meringue is actually very simple, once it is ready, it is used to decorate cakes, pies, and to make meringues, macarons, or a semifreddo. In short, it is a basic pastry recipe that one must necessarily learn if they want to impress with their pastry skills, meringue desserts are not only tasty but also beautiful to look at. Here’s how to make Italian meringue cooked with high-temperature sugar syrup, to be carefully measured with a pastry thermometer.
How to make hot or cooked Italian meringue, and why it turns out better than cold
Original Italian meringue is made cooked (hot) with sugar syrup poured slowly into the whipped egg whites when it is at a temperature of 250°F. However, some prepare cold meringue using icing sugar and egg whites with a few drops of water. The substantial difference between the two meringues (hot and cold) is that hot meringue turns out glossy, almost glassy, the texture is even and compact, easy to use for decorations with a piping bag. Instead, cold meringue (which is not Italian meringue) is opaque, and even though the texture is solid at first, after cooking, the meringue crumbles very easily.
If you wanted to proceed with the Italian meringue recipe without a thermometer, it is not recommended as the final result will heavily affect it. Furthermore, the pastry thermometer can be easily found at an economical price.
Original Italian meringue recipe
The original recipe for Italian meringue is very quick, in a few minutes, you’ll have your meringue in your hands, professionally made with the right method. In addition to the thermometer for measuring the temperature of the sugar syrup, it will also be necessary to use a planetary mixer, an essential tool because it will make it easier to pour the boiling syrup while continuing to beat the egg whites.
For the recipe to be successful, it is important to start beating the egg whites when the syrup has reached a temperature of 230°F, so you can be sure of pouring it slowly onto the egg whites at the right moment.
Italian meringue, the original recipe
Other details
- Difficulty: Easy
Ingredients
Ingredients of Italian Meringue
- 100 g Egg whites at room temperature (3.5 oz)
- 200 g Granulated sugar (7 oz)
- 30 ml Water (1 fl oz)
Instructions
How to prepare Italian meringue
- To prepare Italian meringue, gather sugar and water in a saucepan, place over low heat, and stir occasionally to dissolve the sugar and form a syrup.
- When the syrup reaches a temperature of 230°F, start whisking the egg whites in a planetary mixer. When the syrup reaches 250°F, pour it slowly into the mixer while it's still running, and continue whisking the egg whites until the mixture cools completely. You will obtain a glossy and white Italian meringue.
Conservation
Italian meringue can be stored in the fridge for up to one day. Baked meringues, on the other hand, last up to a week if stored in a tin container.Tips
This is the basic recipe for Italian meringue, and you can use it for many recipes, from pies to macarons, or even for decorating cakes and desserts.Watching calories
SHARE the Italian Meringue the original recipe for making it hot with sugar syrup.
