Monday 19 October 2015

The Harangued Meringue That Went Wrang

So far in the wonderful journey with Fanny Cradock all has been relatively well. Well, we've laughed together, learnt together and looked at some pretty strange creations, lingered for a second then dived in for each lesson, all together. Fanny has been good to me, mostly, things have worked out well. I may not have always liked a few of the end results but they have emerged pretty much as Fanny intended they would, and indeed has she showed me they would. Until today that is...

Fanny Cradock Italian Meringue

Fanny is keen to elevate me up the meringue ladder, stepping up from the very ordinary to embrace the exotically continental Italian version. I'm keen to learn Fanny's ways. I've made Italian Meringue before without her but so far she has surprised me when I've queried her techniques. Never query Fanny. It's helped me to learn and build my own repertoire, helped me to rediscover forgotten ways, forgotten flavours and forgotten presentation styles. It's just as Fanny hoped, with a hefty slant towards always doing things her way. Naturally.

Fanny Cradock Italian Meringue

Fanny starts the meringue by beating the egg whites until they are very stiff indeed. Nothing strange there. She says if doing this by hand to leave plenty of time in your day or get someone to do it for you. Or if by machine to flick the switch and busy yourself with making a sugar syrup. Fanny adds sugar and water to her favourite roomy pan, allowing every grain of sugar to gently dissolve without touching or stirring once. Once dissolved, the heat is increased to boiling for 3 or 4 minutes. To test if the syrup is ready Fanny dips in a perforated spoon and blows bubbles through the holes. If no bubbles appear, further boiling is required. Once bubbles form however it's tipped into the whipped egg whites and beaten again until glossy. The beaters must not stop for a second. Again, nothing strange so far.

Fanny Cradock Italian Meringue

However now is the time that I start to doubt Fanny, but of course quickly dismiss my disloyal thoughts and persist with her. She makes a thick circle of meringue on greaseproof paper (first drawing a circle with pencil on the underside), leaves it exposed to 'set' and then pipes a tall border of 'simple over and over rope' around the edge. I admit, I must practice my piping more, my 'over and over rope' is more freestyle than technical. Fanny says that the meringue should be left out again, exposed, to dry in a dust-free, warm area. "It requires no cooking" she instructs us gleefully. So, I leave it out overnight, switching the no-longer required oven off...

Fanny Cradock Italian Meringue

In the morning my meringue has a slight skin forming but really is still wobbly, pliable and pretty much as I left it the night before. Fanny's looks crisp and crunchy. What have I done wrong? Surely it is me, and not Fanny to blame here? After reading and re-reading the instructions I am sure I've followed them to the T. Undeterred, I follow Fanny in filling the precarious case with custard, topping it with a range of tinned peaches, pears and pineapple rings just as she shows me. Then I pipe in some hand-beaten Chantilly Cream between, giving it a final flourish of blueberries and sprinkles. It does look pretty, but it's in danger of collapse, along with my faith in Fanny. It tastes great, but... Maybe I should've baked it? Maybe Fannys' house is much warmer than mine? Maybe I've not been paying as much attention as I thought? Maybe, just maybe, Fanny has gone wrong?

Fanny Cradock Italian Meringue

12 comments:

  1. Beautifully presented as always! I often have issues with meringues, but never tried an Italian meringue, does it really not need to go in the oven?

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    1. The Jurys out, some say I didn't get my sugar syrup hot enough, some say it should've been baked!

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  2. Oh dear - I do think she forgot to bake it. She's done well so far though, let's give her another chance 😉

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    1. Okay, I will... It is more than likely my mistake anyway!

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  3. Fanny is never wrong! Or is she? ;~}

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  4. You can't over-beat an Italian meringue - I think once the sugar syrup is added you keep beating until the mixture returns to room temperature, so the syrup slowly cooks the eggs.

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    1. That's what I'd do normally, but sometimes following Fanny has perils... Do you reckon if I had they would've set it without cooking?

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  5. I seem to remember being served soft meringue as a child. Maybe this is what it was and it was supposed to be like this? Technically Italian meringue is cooked since the hot syrup cooks the egg whites. I am trying to imagine Fanny blowing bubbles into a hot sugar syrup without having boiling sugar splattering all over her face. Maybe that accounts for the heavy make-up? I use a thermometer. Much less dangerouls.

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    1. I normally use a thermometer too... I've certainly eaten soft meringue, it's just that her photo of the finished product looks as crisp as polystyrene, hey maybe it was polystyrene!

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    2. Nothing would surprise me where Fanny is concerned!

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