Meringues

[vwvic]

Please please help.

I have treid to make meringues several times now. The latest attempt was last night, as a welcome home present for DH. The problem is that the go all rubbery, not nice and crispy! It's the same each time.

I use 50g sugar to each egg white, and bake at 150 degrees for an hour, just like it says in my Nigel Slater cookbook. It doesn't work- why? I'm sure I've made them succesfully in the past.

Any help would be much appreciated... especially by my poor guinea pig-like family!

[MumsRCool]

Do you beat the egg whites and sugar until you could turn the bowl upside down over your head and none would slide or fall out??? Seriously, this is how stiff the egg whites need to be. Also don't forget to add either half a teaspoon of vinegar or lemon juice and do not and I repeat do not open the oven.
Last thing is to let them dry out, so if possible leave in the oven or a cupboard somewhere and not in a plastic container. Hope this helps.

[katymac]

I do a tablespoon of caster sugar to each egg white for meringues beat until solid as MumsRcool says. then put the oven on it's lowest setting, hang a tee towel over the door (so it isn't fully closed) and leave over night maybe 8 to 12 hrs.

But for pavlova I use 1.5 tablespoons of caster sugar to each egg white add cream of tartar vinegar and vanilla - and cook quickly maybe for 2 hrs at a lowish setting

[charleepeters]

Merangues used to be one of our specials atthe resturaunt i used to cook at! first off you need to make sure the wowl is completly greese free and washing it doesnt always do this, so i rub a lemoon round the bowl as it cuts through greese and dirt, next add a pinch of salt as your whisking it helps firm them, a traditional merangue is ment to be crispy on the outside and chewey on the inside (although i prefer it hard all the way through!) if al else fails buy a ready made one

[PrincessPeaHead]

I do 60g sugar per large eggwhite, add a tsp of malt vinegar and a tsp of cornflour for 4 or 5 eggwhites, and I'd cook for longer and cooler. try at 120 for a couple of hours (but I use an aga so I'm not sure about temps.)