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Home > Archive > Apr 3, 2008

Eggs Go Glamorous
By Bev Rankin
If any of you have ever experienced eating a meringue torte (shell) or a baked Alaska then you would certainly say “eggs are glamorous.” Meringue is a type of dessert made from whipped egg whites and sugar. My recipe calls for a binding agent (cream of tartar) while others often have cornstarch as an ingredient. Meringues are usually flavored with vanilla, almond or coconut extract. They are very light, crisp and feathery. 
Some say meringue was invented in the Swiss town of Meiringen by an Italian chef named Gasparini. But others contend that it first appeared as a confection in England around 1706.  Some early recipes were called “white biskit bread” probably because after it was baked it was dry and hard. Another name given meringues was “forgotten cookies” because they were left in the oven to dry for a long period of time after the cooking was done. Today, meringue is featured in some of the fanciest of desserts such as angel food cake, puddings, key lime pie, lemon meringue pie, meringue torte and baked Alaska to name a few!
When beating egg whites, they are classified in three stages according to the peaks they form when the beater is lifted: soft, medium, and stiff peaks. When egg whites are beaten, some of the hydrogen bonds in the protein break, causing the protein’s structure to unfold. This change in structure leads to the stiff consistency required for meringues. Meringue torte, unlike key lime or lemon meringue pie, need not be refrigerated. They can be left in a paper bag on the pantry shelf for several weeks until ready to be filled with any variety of tasty fillings. You don’t have to have a chef’s degree to make meringue. It is fun, easy and always appreciated. What I like best about meringue is that the final product is appealing to the eye and very enjoyable to eat, yet it took little time and effort to whip up! Surprise your family, friends or guests. Try meringue and see how the compliments fly!
I think the following recipes are so fun and great for warm weather. Oftentimes, when you serve these up, folks gasp at the beauty of these mysterious desserts.

Meringue Torte (shells)   
3 egg whites (1/3 to 1/2 cup)
1/4 tsp. cream of tartar
1 cup sugar, or less
Heat oven to 275 degrees.  Beat egg whites and cream of tartar until frothy. Gradually beat in sugar a little at a time.  Beat until very stiff and glossy.  Tint, if desired, with food coloring.  Spread on parchment paper or brown paper sack on baking sheet. Drop 1/3 cup for each shell and shape with back of spoon making sure you have a good size indentation for the filling to fit into.  Bake 60 minutes.  Turn off oven and leave in until cool.  Fill with ice cream topped with fresh berries or cut-up fruit or sweetened whipped cream with chocolate or butterscotch sauce.
I generally just fill my shells with fresh berries and a dollop of whipped cream.  However you may want to try a Lemon Torte Filling (which is great because you can use your yolks from the meringue recipe): Beat 4 eggs yolks in small mixing bowl until thick and lemon-colored.  Gradually beat in 1/2 cup sugar.  Blend in 1/4 cup lemon juice, 2 Tbsp. grated lemon rind.  Cook in a pan over hot water, stirring constantly, until thick, 5 to 8 minutes.  Cool and spoon into the meringue shells.

Baked Alaska
9" round layer cake (I use a sponge cake, but have used yellow, white and chocolate depending on the type of ice cream I want inside)
2 qt. ice cream
6 large egg whites (3/4 cup)
1/2 tsp. cream of tartar
1 cup sugar
Pack ice cream in a round bowl and 1" smaller around than the layer cake.  Place in freezer until serving time.  Shortly before serving, beat egg whites with cream of tartar until frothy.  Gradually beat in sugar.  Continue beating until meringue is stiff and glossy.  Heat oven to 500 degrees (very hot).  Place cooled layer of cake on a cardboard round that has been covered with foil (round should be just a little larger than cake)and place on baking sheet.  Loosen ice cream from bowl with spatula.  Invert bowl over cake.  Remove bowl.  Cover cake and ice cream with meringue, sealing meringue to board for a complete seal.  (Ice cream will not melt in oven if it is completely sealed.)  Bake 3 to 5 minutes or until meringue is delicately browned.  Slip the dessert onto a serving platter, cardboard and all.  Serve immediately.  12-16 servings.
If you would rather make a Brick Alaska, cut a 1/2 gallon of ice cream lengthwise making sure your cake for the bottom matches in size.  Use only 1/2 of the meringue.  Our favorite is chocolate ice cream and chocolate cake with slivered almonds and shaved chocolate put on top of meringue before baking!     

As a reminder, I will be teaching a community education class on bread making, April 19, at the La Verkin Elementary School in La Verkin, from 10 a.m. to noon. Pre-registration is a must and will be open on a first come, first serve basis. Please e-mail me at Bevsbread@yahoo.com for a registration form. If you don’t have access to the Internet, please call me at (435) 635-3366. The fee will be $7 at the door to help defray costs. I will be showing you how to make Bev’s basic recipe with all its many varieties. There will be door prizes and lots of taste testing. Recipe books will be provided for the recipes demonstrated. Farmers Market is working with me so that you can purchase the type of yeast I use without traveling to St. George and also they are providing some of the door prizes.
Bev Rankin is a master food preserver and master gardener, and has taught bread-making for more than 20 years. She now lives in La Verkin, Utah. If you would like to submit a recipe to Bev she can be reached by e-mail at bevsbread@yahoo.com

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