INGREDIENTS

INSTRUCTIONS

In my last book, Passover Desserts, I recommended that the meringue
be made by beating the eggs over simmering water. The National Egg
Board now recommends that the eggs be stirred, rather than beaten
because there is a small chance that the foamy part of the eggs will
not reach a high enough temperature. I tried many times, in vain, to
get the eggs to 160°F, but each time they overcooked. Then I read
Alice Medrich's book, Chocolate and the Art of Lowfat Desserts.
Alice's method, below, is foolproof, and I always use it now. To make
her meringue, Alice mixes the eggs with a smaller amount of sugar
than I do. This makes a delicious, but fairly soft meringue. When
made with cream of tartar, it will keep for several hours. I don't
use cream of tartar, because it is not kosher. I also like to make my
desserts at least one day ahead to allow for unforeseen
circumstances. For these reasons, I use a higher proportion of sugar.
This makes a stiffer, more marshmallowy meringue, but it is very
stable and weeps very little, even after several days in the
refrigerator.
1. Fill a large skillet with 1-inch of water. Bring the water to a
simmer. In a small metal bowl, whisk the egg whites with the sugar
and the room temperature water. Have a rubber scraper, instant-read
thermometer, a timer, another mixing bowl and a beater near the stove.
2. Place the bowl with the egg white mixture into the simmering
water, and rapidly stir with the rubber scraper for 20 seconds.
Remove the bowl from the simmering water and check the temperature of
the egg mixture. If the eggs are not yet at 160°F, heat for 10 more
seconds. Remove the bowl from the water, dip the thermometer into the
boiling water (to bring it up in temperature quickly and to kill any
bacteria on it), and then retest. Continue until the egg whites reach
160°F, the temperature needed to kill salmonella. Do not heat much
higher, or the eggs will overcook. The time that it takes depends
upon the type of bowl and pot that are being used - I've had it take
from 20 to 80 seconds.
3. As soon as the eggs reach 160°F, transfer them to a cool bowl, and
beat at medium-high speed until the egg whites are firm and cool.
They will mixture look like shaving cream and stand in stiff peaks
when the beater is raised from them.
Nutritional notes per serving (2 pieces- - not including tootsie rolls
which are for decoration only): 129 Calories, 3g Fat (16%), 24mg
Cholesterol, 23g Carbohydrates, 3g Protein, 101mg Sodium, 1g Fiber,
RDA % - 1% Vitamin A, 0% Vitamin C, 1% Calcium, 3% Iron
Recipe by: Light Jewish Holiday Desserts, P. Eisenberg
Posted to EAT-LF Digest by P2bakes@aol.com on May 2, 1999, converted
by MM_Buster v2.0l.

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