Moist meringue recipe. Meringue cake (recipe with custard)

Wet meringue is a middle option between protein cream and regular “dry” meringue. Temperature treatment gives it stability, density, while maintaining a delicate texture, moisture. Wet meringue is not suitable for sculpting complex large figures (toys, castles), it is used only for drawing on a cake.

Compound:

  • eggs – 4 (whites only);
  • citric acid - on the tip of a teaspoon;
  • vanilla - on the tip of a teaspoon;
  • sugar – 0.2 – 0.25 kg;
  • dyes (optional) – 1 sachet.

Cooking steps:

  1. The whites of fresh eggs are more liquid than those that have been left for several days. For airy protein creams, we take slightly standing eggs with “dried” proteins.
  2. Contrary to popular belief, For airy meringue, whites at room temperature are suitable, not chilled. When warm, they are better filled with air bubbles, and the finished mass does not spread out longer.
  3. Each protein is first “released” into a cup. Pure white, without the slightest yolk clots, is poured into a dry metal bowl to “cook” the meringue. If even a drop of yolk (or any liquid) gets in, the white is unusable.
  4. The water bath is heated to boiling temperature gradually, without leading to active boiling. There should be medium, uniform bubbles.
  5. Using a mixer (whisk), lightly beat the whites. Stable foam is not needed at this stage, only “broken” whites with a light foam.
  6. Proteins are mixed with sugar and vanilla.
  7. For the next 20 minutes, the mixture should be whipped continuously in a water bath.
  8. Stop beating only when the cream remains on the whisk in large chunks and does not flow down.
  9. After removing from the heat, cool the meringue at room temperature, continuing to beat for the first five minutes. During this, citric acid is added. The cooled mass can be used immediately. It can be stored in the refrigerator to be used later.
  10. Dyes are added to the finished meringue. Be sure to first pour a few drops of vodka into dry dyes and stir. For yellow (coffee color) pour in coffee dissolved in a few drops of water. Juices contain a lot of water. They are not suitable for tinting - the meringue will spread.
  11. The decorated cake can be kept in a warm, almost cooled oven for about 5 minutes. The meringue will dry out a little. If you need moist cream meringue, do not dry it.

This is a basic version of wet meringue. It is sometimes made thicker by adding 2 times more sugar. The result depends on the correct preparation of ingredients, utensils, correct temperature and cooking time.

For decorating Easter cakes

Compound:

  • egg whites – 3;
  • sugar - 30 - 50 g for each protein (while maintaining this proportion, you can change the amount of meringue at your discretion);
  • citric acid, vanilla.

Cooking steps:

  1. Separate the whites so that there is no yolk left in them.
  2. Place a steam bath: bring a third of the pan of water to a light boil.
  3. Beat the whites with a whisk until smooth and slightly foamy.
  4. Grind sugar and vanilla into the protein mixture.
  5. Leave the metal bowl with the ground whites in a water bath for 25 minutes, constantly whisking with a mixer.
  6. Only check the consistency of the meringue after 20 minutes. It should not fall from the whisk and be viscous.
  7. When cooling the meringue after removing it from the steam bath, whisk it constantly for 5 - 10 minutes. Acidify with citric acid and beat for a couple of minutes.
  8. The meringue will “set” on the cake at room temperature.

For Easter cakes, the classic type of wet sweet and sour meringue is often prepared. Wet meringue made from protein cream does not crumble after heating, has a delicate texture, and adheres well to Easter cakes.

Cooking in a water bath

Compound:

  • egg whites – 1 (27 – 30 g);
  • sugar – 54 – 60 g;
  • lemon juice - a few drops;
  • salt, vanilla, citric acid, purchased liquid dyes.

Cooking steps:

  1. Protein, lemon juice, salt, sugar are combined.
  2. They “construct” a water bath: place a metal bowl in a pan of boiling water, set the heat to medium.
  3. Heat the protein mass in a bowl, whisking constantly.
  4. A strong “standing” meringue cream is obtained in 15 - 20 minutes. whipping.
  5. Citric acid is added in the last minutes.
  6. Tint to your taste.
  7. At no stage should not a drop of liquid enter the mass. Pastry bag, beaters, bowls must be dry.

The most important thing when cooking in a water bath is to keep whisking so that the cream does not burn. The steam bath “helps” control the consistency of the meringue.

Protein cream with sugar syrup

Compound:

  • eggs - 3;
  • water - half a faceted glass (100 - 125 ml);
  • sugar – 1 cup;
  • salt, vanilla.

Cooking steps:

  1. Pour sugar into a clean, dry saucepan (make sure there is no greasy film), add water, and stir.
  2. Cook the solution at low boil for an average of 45 minutes.
  3. There should be an empty plate in a container with cold water “under your hands.” After 20 minutes of cooking, begin to regularly check the readiness of the syrup. Drop onto a cold plate. If you can form a ball from the cooled syrup, you’re done.
  4. After the resulting ball, the syrup is left on low heat so as not to cool.
  5. Beat the whites until stiff peaks appear.
  6. Remove the syrup from the stove and immediately brew the cream with it. Brew in a thin stream, whisking continuously.
  7. The process cannot be stopped for another 10 - 15 minutes (until the mass cools).
  8. In the refrigerator, the product does not lose its quality for another 2 days after cooking.

In this recipe, it is impossible to accurately indicate the time for boiling the syrup and whipping the foam. You need to get used to it. It is important to understand that this is a complex technology, not everyone can successfully apply it the first time. Worth trying again.

To make flowers and other decorations neat and last a long time, you should:

  1. Check all attachments and bag to ensure they are free of moisture.
  2. Squeeze the meringue not onto the cake, but onto a separate surface (if you are not experienced), then keep the figures in the freezer for 10 - 15 minutes. Use already frozen decorations.
  3. For flowers, select the desired nozzle and squeeze it out in a spiral.
  4. In order for the figures to turn out smooth, without bubbles, the pastry bag must be tightly filled. It’s better to let it stand upright and squeeze out the excess air before working.
  5. It is not always possible to draw thin lines using meringue: the dense texture may not come out evenly and may break off. You should draw slowly.

Meringue is loved by many people with a sweet tooth. Delicate meringue cream for a cake is also an excellent way to decorate baked goods, widely used in cooking. Using this cream you can create a cake with a unique design that will decorate your holiday table. Delicious cakes made from it are popular all over the world.

Various shapes and sizes, incredible colors and fillings, the most popular confectionery products are filled with meringue cream. The advantage of this dessert is that some of its varieties are easy to prepare at home; it does not require much experience or special skills. Products for meringue are always in the refrigerator, and preparation time takes no more than half an hour.

Recipe for “Wet meringue” cream for decorating a cake

The cream recipe is very simple. To prepare you will need very few ingredients:

  • sugar 100 g;
  • egg white 2 pcs.;
  • citric acid 1/3 teaspoon;
  • water 250 ml.

Step 1. Separate the whites from the yolks. It is important to do this as carefully as possible, getting the yolk into the separated proteins is unacceptable. If it is mixed into the whipped mass, it will not be possible to achieve the desired consistency of meringue cream.

Step 2. Combine egg whites and sugar. Pay due attention to the choice of cookware. For the cream, it is advisable to take a deep bowl or pan to avoid splashing the cream. Beat with a mixer for about a minute.

Step 3: Boil the water bath liquid. Place the container of lightly beaten egg whites with sugar in a saucepan of boiling water and beat the mixture for five minutes. Monitor the condition of the mixture; it should thicken and begin to stick to the whisk. After this time, add citric acid and beat for another five minutes until a thick mass. Do not let the cream boil, otherwise it will be spoiled. The protein in the cream will curdle, and it will become unsuitable for further baking.

Step 4. Remove the cream from the steam bath and beat for another five minutes. When traces of the whisk remain on it, the cream is ready.

Chill the Wet Meringue cream in the refrigerator before decorating the cake with it, this is very important. The hot mass will not lay down with beautiful curls and will melt the icing, if it is present on the dessert.

There is another way to prepare meringue, which is extremely simple, but not classic. Many housewives who love to please their family with delicious baked goods make the cream in the following way: beat six egg whites with a glass of powdered sugar. Whisk the cream until the consistency becomes thick. And that’s it, the cream is ready! They can also be used to decorate a cake or fill a pastry.

Decor

Meringue cream gives you plenty of room for imagination, painting it in different colors, you can create entire works of art, moreover, it is extremely easy to prepare and economical. To color the meringue, use only dry food coloring. Liquid mixtures will disrupt the consistency of the cream. You need to color the cream at the last minute before it is completely ready, that is, it has already cooled down a little.

You can use this cream to make cake layers and bake decorative cake decorations. To make them hard and crispy, the cream needs to be baked, you need to put it on parchment paper and bake in the oven for 90 minutes at 100 degrees. The cream will turn into our usual crispy treat.

If desired, you can add rum or vanilla to this whipped mass to add different flavors. Many cooks also add poppy seeds or finely grated nuts. Professional pastry chefs choose meringue to decorate baked goods, because it is better suited for creating unique designs.

Varieties of cream

There are three classic recipes for meringue cream: French, Italian and Swedish.

To make large decorations for a meringue cake, the most common version is usually prepared - French. Its difference is that the texture of the cream in this recipe is slightly thinner than in the Swedish one. When baking decorations from meringue cream according to the French recipe, it may float a little, so you won’t be able to bake small delicate details from it. Decorations made from such meringue cannot be placed on hot cakes or icing; the delicate airy crust will melt. This particular type of cream is called “Wet meringue”, because when baked, the dessert turns out hard on the outside and tender, soft, viscous on the inside.

Preparing meringue cream according to the Italian recipe is a little more complicated than described above. It is difficult to cope with the recipe alone; Italian confectioners prepare such cream in several hands, enlisting the help of other chefs. The recipe includes hot sugar syrup, which is very important to add at the right time and stir constantly. The consistency of meringue cream according to the Italian recipe is more liquid, usually cakes are stuffed with this cream, it is practically not used in decor.

The most complex meringue recipe is Swedish. It requires great care, even the whipping process is not as simple as it seems, this will require certain skills that are taught to pastry chefs. The Swedish recipe requires apothecary precision when heating the mass in a water bath. A few degrees above or below the temperature indicated in the recipe, and it is spoiled. The Swedish meringue cream recipe for decoration is perfect: it will not melt when in contact with hot butter, and will hold its shape perfectly when in contact with liquid meringue according to the Italian recipe.

Techniques for making cream jewelry

You can bake meringues in various shapes and sizes. Most famous designs are created using a pastry bag and various nozzles.

Line a baking sheet with baking paper and squeeze the cream out of the bag to make roses, rosettes, leaves, rings, and any other elements you need for your idea. After baking, the meringue cream will rise and deform a little, so it takes practice to create the perfect decorative embellishments.

If there is no bag, ordinary baking paper is perfect for this purpose. Roll it into a bag, leaving a hole of the required diameter at the bottom, and squeeze out the cream, squeezing the paper from above. Depending on how the tip of the paper from which the cream comes out is cut will determine the design of the decorations.

Classic cake decoration with meringue cream

The easiest way to decorate a cake with this cream is to make roses around the cake and on the sides. This method is very fast and easy. By painting the cream in different colors, you can create beautiful gradient transitions on your baked goods.

Meringue and chocolate

White meringue pairs perfectly with chocolate chips or cocoa powder. This decoration looks stylish and delicious, and the way to create it is the simplest: just sprinkle meringue decorations on top. Adding a little syrup or buttercream can make the cake more interesting.

Meringue cakes with berries and fruits

An excellent option for decorating meringue cakes would be berries and fruits. To create such a dessert you will need to bake rings and simply fill them with berries and fruits of your choice. To prevent the berries from falling out of the rings, fill them with cream, boiled condensed milk, peanut or chocolate butter.

Meringue and caramel

Another option is to drizzle caramel over the meringue cakes. Pour liquid caramel over the baked meringue in a thin stream and sprinkle with nuts. Caramel will give the dessert a new taste.

If this delicacy seems too sugary, when preparing the meringue cream, add a little more citric acid to the recipe or use salted caramel.

Just two ingredients - and the result is amazing. Airy, crispy meringues that slowly melt in your mouth and turn into sticky chewing gum. This is an excellent decoration for a cake (especially in winter, when berries and fruits are expensive), as well as an independent dessert for tea. Children enthusiastically crunch these cakes and try to steal a couple of them while you are busy decorating the cake!


Both gel and powder dyes are great for coloring meringues, but they interact with them differently. If you use gel dyes, the meringues turn out shiny, smooth and slightly sticky. If you use powdered ones, the meringues will turn out matte and will not stick. All you have to do is choose what you like best.
Today we will talk about what dyes I use and how I prepare colored meringues.

Ingredients (for two baking sheets):

  • Egg whites - 3 pcs.
  • Powdered sugar - 150 g
  • Salt - on the tip of a knife
  • Vanilla extract - 1 tsp.
  • Citric acid - 1 pinch
  • Food coloring of desired color.

How to make colored meringues for a cake

Before starting to beat the meringue, wipe the mixer bowl and beaters with lemon juice or citric acid solution, this will help remove traces of fat from the bottom and walls of the bowl. If there is even a little fat on the beaters or bowl, the whites will not whip.

For the same reason, we carefully ensure that the yolks do not get into the whites when we separate the eggs.

To be on the safe side, separate each protein into a separate bowl and then add it to the total protein mass.

So, to prepare meringues, place 3 egg whites at room temperature in a bowl (or mixer bowl), add a pinch of citric acid and beat at low mixer speed for 30 seconds.


Then gradually increase the mixer speed and beat for about 1 more minute until soft peaks form and fluffy.
Without stopping whipping, add 1 tbsp to the protein mixture. l. powdered sugar (total volume 150 g).

When all the powder has been mixed into the whites, increase the speed to maximum and beat for about 3 minutes until shiny, stiff peaks form.

Add 1 tsp to the meringue. vanilla extract and beat until smooth.

Preheat the oven to 90 C and line the baking sheets with Teflon mats or good baking paper.

We divide the entire protein mass into as many parts as there are different colors that we plan to make. I prepared meringues in two pastel colors: lavender and mint. Therefore, I divided the protein mass into 2 parts and carefully tinted it using Americolor gel dye: I mixed leaf green and navy blue to get a mint shade, and a little regal purple dye to get a lavender meringue.

We transfer the colored mixture into pastry bags with the necessary nozzles (I used the “Open Star” nozzle). Then we place the meringues of the required size on cold prepared baking sheets.

I have recorded for you a detailed video recipe for making meringue for the cake. Welcome to the You Tube channel, I wish you pleasant viewing! Subscribe to the channel so you don't miss new video recipes!

Each housewife has her own recipe. Try alternative methods if the basic one described in the recipe does not work.

When adding photos to Instagram, please indicate the tag #pirogeevo or #pirogeevo so that I can find your photos on the Internet and enjoy the result with you.

Meringue, or as we more often call it meringue, can serve not only as a full-fledged dessert, but also as a decoration for a cake.

Judge for yourself, cakes covered with fondant add weight and an unnatural appearance to the product. In our opinion, such cakes are beautiful, but we don’t want to eat them, just look at them. Meringue for decorating a cake costs a penny at cost, but with the help of dyes and meringue attachments you can create bright and stylish options for the most ordinary sponge cake.

Another popular addition we recommend adding to your cake is decorating with gingerbread cookies with colorful frosting, which you can also make at home.

Remember, the most important thing when decorating desserts and everything else is a well-chosen color scheme; with this choice, the simplest shapes look original and bright.


Ingredients

  • Protein - 50 g (2 pcs.)
  • Sugar - 100 g
  • Citric acid - on the tip of a knife

Cooking process

First, let's prepare a steam bath. It can be done in different ways. Fill the pan with water, place a smaller dish on top, but so that its bottom does not touch the water, but its sides hold onto the sides of the large pan. Or you can build a structure using a sieve, as shown in the photo below, then you can place any heat-resistant dishes on the sieve.

Beat the egg whites in a clean, dry bowl until they form a medium thick foam.

Bring water to a boil and reduce heat.

Place the whites in a steam bath, gradually add sugar and continue to beat with a mixer. Add citric acid.

Beat the whites in a steam bath until the sugar is completely dissolved.

When the sugar in the whites has dissolved, remove the meringue cream from the heat and continue beating for another 5-7 minutes until the mixture has cooled. The mass will become shiny and thick.

By the way, at this stage we received a full-fledged pasteurized protein cream for decorating desserts and forming flowers; it is called “wet meringue”; it is often used to form caps for cupcakes.

From the resulting cream we form the necessary elements.

Bake at 90-100 °C for 2.5 hours. You will determine the exact temperature after the first batch; if the meringues begin to turn yellow, then the baking temperature is too high. Time can also be greater or less depending on the size of the figures. If you want meringues on a stick, a sharp stick or toothpick will do a great job of attaching them after baking.

We take the eggs out of the refrigerator. We take dry metal, or better yet, glassware. And, of course, a mixer. Break the eggs, carefully separating the whites from the yolks. We remove the yolks for other purposes. We will work exclusively with proteins.

Now we need a mixer. All utensils and all utensils must be completely dry, otherwise it will not be possible to beat the egg whites according to the rules. Beat the whites with a mixer into white foam.

Slowly begin to add sugar, continuing to beat. Then, add a pinch of citric acid. Beat for another minute. In the meantime, there should already be a pot of water on the stove. We will make soft meringue in a water bath.

So, we transfer the pan with the protein to the stove and put it in a water bath. The water in the pan should be boiling. Place the pan with meringue so that the bottom barely touches the water. Beat the egg whites at medium speed.

When the sugar is completely dissolved and the mass becomes homogeneous, switch to the highest speed. Protein will increase significantly. You need to beat for a long time, at least 10 minutes. Then remove the pan from the stove and beat for another 3 minutes. The white mass should wrap very tightly around the mixer and stick to it.

The cream turns out to be long-lasting, elastic and bright white. You can sculpt anything from it. If you want to use it as a cream, then start spreading it right away, otherwise it will harden later. You can put it in a bag with a hole and squeeze out various figures. Then they will harden like marshmallows. You can also create colorful beauty by adding food coloring!