Making meringuelettes this morning. Mmmmm… Taste is pretty consistent over time, but consistency ranges from soft and marshmallowy (yum!) to crispy shell with soft inside (yum!). Since they’re both delicious, I’ve never really tried to control for texture. I also don’t know how—hence this post.
What factors affect consistency? Humidity? Time in oven? Initial setup? Moisture? Something I can control?
If it makes a difference, here’s how I put them together.
Before I start, I set up on a table:
[ul]
[li]Super-chopped (food processored) handful of almonds and coconut [/li][li]½ cup granular sugar & ½ cup confectioner’s sugar (sifted together) [/li][li]4 room temperature egg whites[/li][li]1/8 tsp salt + 1 tsp cream o’ tartar[/li][/ul]
… then …
[ul]
[li]I use the whisk attachment on a hand mixer to get the whites to the foamy stage[/li][li]At foamy, I add the salt/tartar [/li][li]At soft peak I start gradually adding the sugar and add a splash of vanilla[/li][li]At stiff peak I start drooling [/li][li]Fold in the coconut/almond mixture[/li][li]Drop/form onto baking sheets[/li][li]Stuff them into a preheated 320° oven [/li][li]Wait ~20 – 25 minutes[/li][/ul]
… then …
[ul]
[li]There is much rejoicing.[/li][/ul]
I’ve seen recipes call for lower ovens and longer bake times, but the above has never failed to produce an excellent result—sometimes deliciously squishy, sometimes delightfully crispy. What makes the difference?
Thanks,
Rhythm
