Never use eggs that are cold from the refrigerator. Bring out the number required and allow them to come up to room temperature before using in a recipe. Egg whites in particular whisk up to a better volume when at room temperature.
Method
Meringue toppings A meringue mixture used to decorate a pudding or pie should be made using
A pudding served hot from the oven will require the smaller quantity of sugar. This produces a soft, less sweet meringue which combines deliciously with the pudding. About 10 minutes in a moderate oven (180°C., 350°F., Gas Mark 4) will brown the meringue attractively; serve at once.
For a meringue topping on a pie which is to be served cold, the full
Remember to sprinkle any meringue toppings with a little castor sugar before baking; this helps to ensure a crisp crust.
Meringue shells Ideally egg whites for meringue shells should be cracked and allowed to stand at room temperature for 24 hours before using. Egg whites that have been left over from a previous recipe and which have been standing for 2–3 days are excellent
Beat egg whites until very stiff before adding the sugar. Use castor sugar; make sure it is dry and sieve out any lumps. Allow
Sprinkle unbaked meringue shells with sugar for a crisp crust. Try chopped walnuts or hundreds and thousands – they bake on prettily. Dry shells out in a cool oven (110°C., 225°F., Gas Mark ¼) with the oven door open. Meringues take 2–3 hours to dry out. Rotate the trays so that they dry evenly and when the shells are crisp turn them over to dry the underneath. Store in an airtight tin when cold – they keep well for several weeks so may be made in advance.