Italian Meringue Drops Recipes

BASIC ITALIAN MERINGUE RECIPE

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, combine sugar and water. Heat over high heat, stirring only until it comes to a boil. Once it reaches a boil, stop stirring. Cook until sugar syrup registers 240°F (115°C) on an instant-read or candy thermometer. Brush down sides of pot as necessary with a pastry brush dipped in water.
• Meanwhile, combine egg whites and cream of tartar or lemon juice in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment (see note). Set mixer to medium speed and mix until soft peaks form (when lifted, the head of the mixer should form gentle peaks in the egg whites that very slowly collapse back into themselves), about 2 minutes.
• With the mixer running, carefully and slowly drizzle in hot sugar syrup. (Hot sugar is just as dangerous as fryer oil, so use caution!) Increase speed to high and whip until desired stiffness is achieved. Soft peaks are often used to aerate mousses, for example, while a stiff peak is best for buttercream.

MERINGUE DROPS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 150° F, or the lowest setting possible. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Beat the egg white in a small bowl with a wire whisk until foamy. As you continue beating, add the sugar gradually, until the meringue holds stiff and glossy peaks when the whisk is lifted from them. Spoon the meringue into a pastry bag fitted with a star tip and pipe onto the prepared baking sheet to form 3/4-inch rounds. (If you don't have a pastry bag, drop the beaten whites by the slightly rounded teaspoonful, keeping the little mounds as high as possible.) Bake until the meringues are completely dry and very light, about 2 1/2 hours. Cool completely.
• Pour the cream into a small, chilled bowl. Beat with a wire whisk or an electric mixer until the cream holds stiff peaks. Spoon about 1 teaspoon of the whipped cream onto the flat side of one of the meringues. Press the flat side of a second meringue gently onto the cream to make a meringue sandwich. Repeat with the remaining meringues and cream. Chill the meringue drops on a serving plate in the refrigerator 1 hour before serving.

MERINGUE DROPS

Steps:

• Place egg whites in a large bowl; let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Line baking sheets with parchment., Preheat oven to 200°. Add vanilla, cream of tartar and if desired food coloring to egg whites; beat on medium speed until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, on high until stiff peaks form., Cut a small hole in the corner of a pastry or plastic bag; insert pastry tip. Fill bag with meringue. Pipe 2-in. circles or shapes 2 in. apart onto prepared baking sheets. If desired, sprinkle with pearl sugar. , Bake 20-25 minutes or until set and dry. Turn oven off; leave meringues in oven until oven has completely cooled. Store in an airtight container.