For Pies, Puddings, And Desserts

Eggs for meringues should be thoroughly chilled, and beaten with silver fork, wire spoon, or whisk. Where several eggs are needed, much time is saved by using a whisk. Meringues on pies, puddings, or desserts may be spread evenly, spread and piled in the centre, put on lightly by spoonfuls, or spread evenly with part of the mixture, the remainder being forced through a pastry bag and tube.

Meringues I and III should be baked fifteen minutes in slow oven. Meringue II should be cooked eight minutes in moderate oven; if removed from oven before cooked, the eggs will liquefy and meringue settle; if cooked too long, meringue is tough.

Meringue I

Whites 2 eggs

2 tablespoons powdered sugar

1/2 tablespoon lemon juice or 1/4 teaspoon vanilla

Beat whites until stiff, add sugar gradually and continue beating, then add flavoring.

Meringue II

Whites 3 eggs

7 1/2 tablespoons powdered sugar

1/2 teaspoon lemon extract or 1/3 teaspoon vanilla

Beat whites until stiff, add four tablespoons sugar gradually, and beat vigorously; fold in remaining sugar, and add flavoring. Cook eight minutes in a slow oven.

Meringue III

Whites 4 eggs

7/8 cup powdered sugar

2 tablespoons lemon juice

Put whites of eggs and sugar in bowl, beat mixture until stiff enough to hold its shape, add lemon juice drop by drop, continuing the beating. It will take thirty minutes to beat mixture sufficiently stiff to hold its shape, but when baked it makes a most delicious meringue.

Meringues Glacées, Or Kisses

Whites 4 eggs

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1 1/4 cups powdered sugar or 1 cup fine granulated

Beat whites until stiff, add gradually two-thirds of sugar, and continue beating until mixture will hold its shape; fold in remaining sugar, and add flavoring. Shape with a spoon or pastry bag and tube on wet board covered with letter paper. Bake thirty minutes in very slow oven, remove from paper, and put together in pairs, or if intending to fill with whipped cream or ice cream remove soft part with spoon and place meringues in oven to dry.

Nut Meringues To Meringue Glaceé mixture add chopped nut meat; almonds, English walnuts, or hickory nuts are preferred,

Shape by dropping mixture from tip of spoon in small piles one-half inch apart, or by using pastry bag and tube. Sprinkle with nut meat, and bake.

Meringues (Mushrooms)

Shape Meringue Glacée mixture in rounds the size of mushroom caps, using pastry bag and tube; sprinkle with grated chocolate. Shape stems like mushroom stems. Bake, remove from paper, and place caps on stems.

Meringues Panachées

Fill Meringues Glacées with ice cream, or ice cream and water ice. Garnish with whipped cream forced through pastry bag and tube, and candied cherries.

Creole Kisses

1/2 lb. Jordan almonds 1/4 cup boiling water 1/2 cup sugar

Whites 4 eggs

1 1/4 cups powdered sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 teaspoon salt

Blanch almonds, finely shred one-half of them, and dry slowly in oven. Put water and sugar in a saucepan, and as soon as boiling-point is reached, add remaining almonds, and cook until the syrup is of a golden brown color. Turn into a pan, cool, and finely pound in mortar. Beat whites of eggs until stiff, add gradually sugar, then vanilla, almonds, and salt. Shape, sprinkle with shredded almonds, sift sugar over them, and bake in a slow oven twenty-five minutes.