I love meringues, I especially love homemade meringues, crisp, sweet and chewy, they are also fat free!! I often make dishes that only require eggs yolks so am left with the whites which I used to throw away!! Meringues work better with egg whites that have been stored for a couple of days. Thinner older egg whites whip more easily and create more volume than newer egg whites. The simple rule of thumb is that you use 2oz of caster sugar per egg white. This has always worked for me regardless of the size of egg being used, I have also never added vinegar of cornflour. I use a food processor but have made these meringues by hand, it just takes a bite more elbow grease. They are so easy to make and I'm sure most people who bake can whip them up in an instant, however I thought I'd share the basic recipe....you never know it might come in handy some day.
Basic Meringue Recipe
3 x egg whites
175 g (6oz) caster sugar
1. Pre-heat your oven to 150 degrees centigrade
2. Line a baking tray with baking parchment
3. Add the egg whites to a clean bowl/food processor bowl, whip until they form stiff peaks (don't over whisk or the meringues will start to collapse)
4. Once you are at this stage you can add the sugar about an ounce at a time, keep whisking and adding the sugar until it's all gone
5. Using a metal spoon create either one large meringue (pavlova shape) or lots of small meringue blobs onto the prepared baking tray
6. Once complete place in the middle of the oven and immediately turn the heat down to 130 degrees centigrade and cook for about an hour keeping an eye on it. If the meringues appear to be getting over coloured turn the heat down a little more
7. Once the hour is up turn the oven off and leave the door ajar, leave the meringues in the oven to completely cool
8. Serve with whipped cream and fresh fuit or to your liking
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