rescue my meringue

[hativity]

ok, the fruits, or rather fruit, of my labour today comprises one large meringue, in a shallow baking tray. I know for a fact that if I try to move it it will collapse (and I haven't got anything other than said baking tray in/on which to put it anyway)- it's too big for the four of us, so needs saving til Christmas, it's also too big to go in anything airtight. any bright ideas? I think my mum freezes meringue but not usually uncovered on baking trays....

I'm not sure you can rescue it really. If it's going to collapse anyway then I would break it into small pieces, keep them in an air-tight container (or freeze them, if meringue does freeze) and use it to make Eton Mess. Mix up the pieces with whipped cream, mascarpone cheese and strawberries.

yes, if no-one else comes up with a brainwave it'll have to be the eton mess option, It's just that eton mess smacks SO much of failed pavlova. (which in this case is kind of true) what was I thinking of, making it so big???

can you cook it for longer?

hello Hoxton chick (hatstand here) well the update is that it's successfully parted company with the baking tray - but the main problem is how to store it? It really won't fit in anything I've got. short of a trip to a specialist shop for a ginormous tupperware I'm a bit lost. Yet again wtf was i thinking of? the idea was to make individual ones but it was a bit sloppy...

could you fashion something out of foil to store it?

hi hatstand (thought it was you, but not 100% with these xmas names....). well done so far. could you just clear a space in the freezer & stick it in? i am famously lax at things like this though!

I am meringue queen.

Keep it on the baking tray, once it is COMPLETELY cool cover it with clingfilm all around the tray, twice, in both directions, to ensure it is airtight. Then put it somewhere safe low humidity and relatively cool (ie not on top of the fridge).

You have reminded me that I have meringues in the oven and should check on them!

so - cling film not foil? and it'll be ok til Boxing Day? I mean they're virtually all sugar so I assume they have a long life?

Meringues do freeze - really well. And they don't need defrosting as such, as their texture doesn't change at all. That is why you can freeze an ice cream 'pavlova' and serve it straight from the freezer. Just wrap it in clingfilm and put it in the freezer. I would keep it on the tray though, as the meringue will be brittle and might end up cracking, which would be a shame after you've managed to get it off the tray in one piece!

if it is airtight it will keep for weeks. you will be fine until boxing day. I wouldn't bother freezing, after all you can probably do without something so enormous in your freezer and you may damage it.

foil is OK for a few days but not really so airtight. If you only have foil then do that (keeping it on the tray obviously) but make sure you have a double layer and try and scrunch the edges so it is airtight

thanks everyone. I've got foil and clingfilm so I'll go for the latter. My next problem is how to use the tray for the roast potatoes on Christmas day it the meringue is still on it...oh well, cross that bridge when we come to it. I'm actually really chuffed as have just confirmed my dad and whis ife are coming over on Boxing day (don't see them much) and fil and his wife will be there. And the meringue is looking really nice - it's got chunks of v. bitter dark chocolate in it and looks yum.

buy another tray this week!
or even one of those disposable heavy foil turkey roasting dish thingys they sell in sainsburys for a couple of quid, that should do your potatoes.

Have you a strong cardboard box that you can cut out a tray from? Just slide this under the pav and then lift off the baking tray. Even better if you cut it to a nice round shape and cover it in tin foil first, you can use this to serve the pav on

may I point out in a bossy fashion, hativity, that had you baked the meringues on bake-o-glide you would just be able to lift the whole thing effortlessly off the tray. without losing so much as a crumb!

get thee to lakeland, woman

yes miss, sorry miss, will get right to it.

or tell your dh that a rolled up piece of bake-o-glide makes a SUPER stocking filler

If DH put Baco-glide in my stocking he'd spend the rest of the year trying to extract it from a rather painful place

Domestic frippery has no place in my christmas stocking

ahhh, but if he put in a new baking tray then your potato problem would be solved!

You'd need a very big stocking though