FRENCH MERINGUE (MERINGUE KISSES)

Steps:

• 1. Heat the oven according to the recipe in question. 2. Make sure that the egg whites are room temperature and put them in a bowl. Add the texture improving sour ingredient in this point (if desired). Whisk them until the foam starts to slightly hold its form but is not yet fully stiff.
• 1. Keep whisking and add the sugar in patiently slow. The trick is to give the crystals time to dissolve into the whites. Superfine sugar does so faster but the regular granulated one may also be used. 2. When the meringue is ready the crystals should no longer be felt between the fingers.
• 1. Add the food coloring if desired as well as the flavoring which can be powder, extract or oil. 2. Bake the French meringue at once - it loses its good texture when it's allowed to sit.
• Crispy and light meringues (Meringue kisses): This recipe also depends on the oven and the weather: the more humid it is, the longer it's recommended to keep them in oven - the crispy meringues may rehydrate as sticky otherwise. With a few tries you'll know what works for you the best. 1. Heat the oven to 80-90°C. 2. Pipe the meringue into beautiful, small cookie sized patterns over the baking sheet lined with baking paper. 3. Bake the meringues in the middle of the oven for an hour or two. 4. Turn the heat off without opening the oven. Leave the meringues there for another hour or two (or even overnight) while the oven cools down slowly.
• Soft and sticky meringues: 1. Heat the oven to 150°C. 2. Pipe the meringue into medium cookie sized blobs over the baking sheet lined with baking paper or use two spoons. 3. Bake the meringues in the middle of the oven for 25 minutes. 4. Turn the heat off without opening the oven. Leave the meringues there for another hour or two while the oven cools down slowly. 5. Take the slightly browned meringues off the baking paper and lay them on the rack to cool. The inside should be marshmallowy soft and chewy.
• Basic things to know about meringue making: - While making meringue the egg whites should be fresh and room temperature which improves their elasticity. The tools should be as clean as possible, especially out of fat. A quick wipe with a small amount of lemon juice or vinegar may help. - While separating the eggs the whites should have zero egg yolk; besides fat it also prevents the fluffiness. Sometimes you may get an egg in which the yolk breaks easily and so it's recommendable to separate each egg in a separate bowl, one at a time. - Adding a small amount of sour ingredient before whisking such as a pinch of cream of tartar or a few drops of lemon juice or vinegar helps in reaching the more stable texture. It's voluntary and barely affects the taste. Avoid adding salt too early. - Do not pipe the meringues too closely for the oven, they need air even if they don't grow in size. - You may also dab a small amount of meringue between the corners of baking sheet and baking paper to make the work easier.