Quick Tip: How To Keep Meringue Crispy (2024)

FAQs

Quick Tip: How To Keep Meringue Crispy? ›

This means that they absorb moisture from the air and will start to soften and 'weep' after just a few hours on the counter. As soon as your meringues have cooled completely and you've satisfied your initial sweet-tooth cravings, pack the meringues into an air-tight container.

Add cornstarch to the meringue to stabilize it.

Cornstarch helps the meringue keep its shape, making it a good ingredient addition if you're worried about your meringue weeping. Add about 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of cornstarch into the meringue as you're whipping it so it will absorb some of the extra moisture.

Keep baked merengue in a dry environment.

As a result, if you can help it, it's best not to bake meringue on a humid day. If you do, make sure your meringue has cooled completely—ideally on the baking sheet in the oven—before transferring it to an airtight container.

Beat a mixture of thickened cornstarch and water into the egg whites to bind and stabilize the liquid in the meringue (and keep it from seeping out).

One of the most common mistakes is not beating the eggs long enough, or at too slow a speed, which means the egg whites won't reach the stiff peak stage and instead only reach a soggy droopy stage.

Some recipes call for a small amount of cream of tartar or cornstarch, which helps stabilize the meringue and prevent it from deflating.

Refrigeration makes meringue weep more quickly, so let the pie stand at room temperature in a draft-free spot before serving it. After a few hours, however, it will need to be refrigerated.

Fixing runny meringue is usually as simple as whisking more air into the mixture and waiting for it to develop stiff peaks. You can also add another egg white or a teaspoon of cornstarch to get the mix to the consistency you need.

Excess moisture in the air can seep into meringues and make them soft, even after they are baked, which is why it's best to avoid making meringue on damp days.

I heat the oven to relatively high, then turn it right down as soon as the meringue is in, so it puffs up.” As Lepard says, “You are not so much cooking meringue as drying it out, so there's no great mystery to a chewy one: just cook it for less time than you normally do.”

What does baking soda do to meringue? ›

The Results: Aquafaba With Baking Soda

A second consequence of using baking soda is that the resulting meringues look and taste a little odd; they both take on more color and have a “toasty” flavor, both of which are undesirable in meringues.

You can also use the oven to re-crisp soggy or stale meringues. Put them in at a low temperature for ten minutes.

The trick is to store the baked, cooled meringues in the freezer, where the dry, cold air prevents them from attracting moisture and losing their crispness. This means you can make plain meringue cookies anytime, yes, but you'll also have so many other desserts waiting at your fingertips.

Two possibilities. When you top with meringue, put it in a hot oven, cook 5 minutes then turn the oven off and leave till cold. It won't colour much but it will go a bit crispy. Alternatively use a blow torch but do it carefully.

‌Solution: Leave meringues to cool in the oven.

After turning the oven off, you can leave meringue cookies inside to finish drying out. Crack the oven door if you're worried the heat will be too high. You can also use the oven to re-crisp soggy or stale meringues. Put them in at a low temperature for ten minutes.

Excess moisture in the air can seep into meringues and make them soft, even after they are baked, which is why it's best to avoid making meringue on damp days.

I heat the oven to relatively high, then turn it right down as soon as the meringue is in, so it puffs up.” As Lepard says, “You are not so much cooking meringue as drying it out, so there's no great mystery to a chewy one: just cook it for less time than you normally do.”