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📝 Description
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🥘 Ingredients
1/2 lb. of pounded sugar, the whites of 4 eggs. [Illustration: MERINGUES.]
👨🍳 Method
Whisk the whites of the eggs to a stiff froth, and, with a wooden spoon, stir in _quickly_ the pounded sugar; and have some boards thick enough to put in the oven to prevent the bottom of the meringues from acquiring too much colour. Cut some strips of paper about 2 inches wide; place this paper on the board, and drop a tablespoonful at a time of the mixture on the paper, taking care to let all the meringues be the same size. In dropping it from the spoon, give the mixture the form of an egg, and keep the meringues about 2 inches apart from each other on the paper. Strew over them some sifted sugar, and bake in a moderate oven for 1/2 hour. As soon as they begin to colour, remove them from the oven; take each slip of paper by the two ends, and turn it gently on the table, and, with a small spoon, take out the soft part of each meringue. Spread some clean paper on the board, turn the meringues upside down, and put them into the oven to harden and brown on the other side. When required for table, fill them with whipped cream, flavoured with liqueur or vanilla, and sweetened with pounded sugar. Join two of the meringues together, and pile them high in the dish, as shown in the annexed drawing. To vary their appearance, finely-chopped almonds or currants may be strewn over them before the sugar is sprinkled over; and they may be garnished with any bright-coloured preserve. Great expedition is necessary in making this sweet dish; as, if the meringues are not put into the oven as soon as the sugar and eggs are mixed, the former melts, and the mixture would run on the paper, instead of keeping its egg-shape. The sweeter the meringues are made, the crisper will they be; but, if there is not sufficient sugar mixed with them, they will most likely be tough. They are sometimes coloured with cochineal; and, if kept well covered in a dry place, will remain good for a month or six weeks.
📜 From Mrs Beeton's Book of Household Management (1861). Public domain.
⭐ Reader Reviews
Honest opinions from readers who have explored this book.
I tried my hand at Mrs. Beeton's meringues this week, and I must say, it was a delightful journey back in time. The process was more hands-on than I expected, with a wooden spoon and a bit of finesse required to incorporate the sugar into the egg whites. I found the surprise to be how much the shape of the meringues mattered — dropping them from the spoon like little eggs was oddly satisfying, and it made the final product feel more artisanal. This recipe is perfect for a comfort seeker like me, who finds joy in the simple, time-honored techniques. The resulting meringues were crisp on the outside and delightfully chewy on the inside, just as I like them. I filled them with whipped cream flavored with a touch of vanilla, and the combination was pure bliss. I'll be making these again, perhaps with a sprinkle of chopped almonds for a bit of crunch. Next time, I'll try to remember to turn the oven down a tad, as mine browned a touch faster than expected. But that's the charm of vintage recipes — they're full of little experiments and adjustments, and that's exactly what I love about them.
