On a trip to Paris many moons ago, an enormous meringue caught the eye of my father. The bakery near our hotel sold them, likely made from the day’s leftover eggwhites, and we ate one every night of the four nights we stayed. I’ve now learned they’re a common sight, typically crushed and used for desserts at home.
Getting meringue crisp and light all the way through can be a tough job, but not one that our friend low and slow can’t take care of.
For the giant meringue, leave the oven on low all night to dry, crisp and caramelise it. If you prefer to make smaller piped meringues just bake them for the allocated time before bed, turn the oven off and leave them overnight to cool to rid of any tackiness.
What you'll need Source: Camellia Aebischer
Take four egg whites, about 1 cup of caster sugar and a pinch of salt. Whisk the egg whites in a clean bowl with salt until fluffy and firm. Gradually add sugar bit by bit til you have a glossy and very thick meringue mixture that holds its shape.
Pile it onto the middle of a large, lined baking tray (it’ll expand a bit as it bakes) and place in an oven pre-heated to 120ºC. As soon as it goes in, turn the oven down to 80ºC and leave for 8-9 hours.
After about 9 hours mine still had a small chewy centre, which was very much welcomed. If you’d prefer it dryer, keep going for another hour or two, or make two smaller meringues.
Crispy and slightly caramelised all the way through Source: Camellia Aebischer
