Italian Meringue
Italian foam is used in (on) lemon meringue pie and as a filling and topping in various desserts. This recipe is very easy to make.
Servings: 1 portion
Ingredients
- 200 grams egg white
- 75 grams icing sugar
- 325 grams granulated sugar
- 85 grams water
Instructions
- In a fat-free bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff and add the icing sugar. Leave this to stand for a while, we will add the sugar syrup later.
- Place the water and granulated sugar in a saucepan and bring to the boil at 121˚C/238˚F. Do not stir in the pan.
- Use a candy thermometer to check the temperature. When the syrup has reached the right temperature, turn on the mixer with the whisk attached. A stand mixer is easiest, as it leaves your hands free.
- Make sure that any splash lid is no longer on the mixer/bowl. Remove the pan from the heat and, with the machine turning, slowly pour the syrup into the egg whites.
- Continue to whisk on the highest setting until the foam is cold and starts to form peaks; the bowl itself will usually still feel lukewarm at this point.
- You can use this foam as a filling or topping in desserts. As the egg whites are heated, you can eat this without baking. For a crispy, light brown layer, use a gas burner.
- Italian meringue can also be baked. It works in the same way as 'normal' French meringue. Bake for 2 hours at 100°C/212˚F (conventional oven).
How to store
You cannot make this Italian meringue and store it in the fridge. The moisture in the fridge does not mix with the sugar in the meringue. Bear this in mind when storing your cake. Also, the frosting will gradually dry out as it is stored. Once it's on the cake, this won't happen so quickly, but it's not very practical to store the meringue in a bowl and use it later.