Christmas Baking
Meringue Cookies: The Swiss Method Gives Stiff, Snow-White Piped Shapes That Keep Their Form
Stiff, snow-white meringue cookies made with the Swiss method and dried slowly at 210°F (100°C).
NutritionApproximate, per serving
Instructions
Set up a double boiler: bring a little water to a simmer in a saucepan.
Put the egg whites and all the sugar in a heatproof stainless steel or glass bowl.
Set the bowl over the steam (not touching the water) and add the lemon juice.
With a whisk, only stir (do not whip) until the sugar dissolves and the mixture reaches about 165°F (74°C). This pasteurizes the egg whites.
Immediately pour the hot mixture into the bowl of a stand mixer.
Start whipping on high speed and keep going without a break for about 15 minutes.
The meringue is ready when it is extremely stiff and glossy and the bowl feels completely cold to the touch.
Preheat the oven to 210°F (100°C). If your oven has a fan setting, turn it on.
Fill a piping bag fitted with a decorative tip and pipe cookies of equal size onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Put the baking sheet in the oven and dry the meringues for 60 minutes. After an hour, turn off the oven and let the meringues cool completely in the closed oven.
- Warm the egg whites and sugar to 165°F (74°C), stirring only. Do not whip over the heat.
- Whip for 15 minutes until the meringue is completely cool, or the cookies will spread.
- Dry at 210°F (100°C), then leave the meringues to cool in the closed oven.