How to keep meringue white while baking?
I made pavlovas last week from 4 egg whites and about a cup of sugar whipped together to a SUPER form meringue. I piped them on to a tray and baked first on 120 degrees for an hour and then on 70 degrees for another hour.
Somewhere in the middle of baking the pavlovas turned brown. They were stil tasty, but how can I keep them white, like I see in restaurants?
Best Answer
First, double check that your oven temps are accurate with a thermometer that you can place in the oven.
After that, two things I would try..
- Rack Positioning
I've baked meringues at similar temps without browning. It could be the position of the rack within the oven? If it was mainly the top that browned, move lower. If it was mainly the bottom that browned, move higher.
- Turn Off the Oven
The other thing you could try is turning the oven off for the second stage of baking. I've baked meringues at 200 degrees F for an hour before, then I turn off the oven, prop the door open for about 5 minutes to cool, then close the door for a few hours.
Hope one of these give you the results you're looking for.
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Quick Answer about "How to keep meringue white while baking?"
How to keep meringue cookies white. I usually bake the cookies at 200F/90C and they turn out white. However, if your cookies have a slight tint after baking, decrease the temperature to 175F/80C next time – no lower than that – and increase the baking time.How do you keep meringue from browning?
Overcooking your meringue can sometimes cause beads of moisture to form on the surface, especially if it's a hot or humid day. Don't take your meringue too far, and let it cool completely in the oven (with the door closed or slightly ajar).How do I keep my Pavlova from turning brown?
How to prevent pavlova from browning. Reduce the oven temperature. If you followed my recipe, and still had a burnt pavlova, then just check and make sure there are no hot spots in your oven. If you're not sure about hot spots, then just reduce the oven temperature another 25\xb0F for next time.Should I put vinegar in my meringue?
An acid, such as a vinegar, can be added to a meringue mixture to help create a more stable foam when the meringue is mixed. In scientific terms the acid helps to denature, or break down, the coils of amino acids in the egg white's proteins so that they become long strands instead.Is it better to make meringue with cold or room temperature egg whites?
But when it comes to beating the whites, as you do for souffl\xe9s or meringues (see \u201cHow to Make Meringue\u201c), it's best to have them at room temperature (65\xb0F to 70\xb0F). They'll have a more liquid viscosity than when they're cold, which permits air to be readily incorporated into them to build volume.Meringue Cookies Recipe
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Answer 2
120 celsius might be a bit too high. I bake them at 200F, that's 95 Celsius, for 1h45min then leave them in the oven for 2 hours. Then 1 more hour with the door slightly open. At this point they are pale white and they have to be stored in an airtight container to avoid stickiness. Don't leave in the oven overnight, they will turn sticky. Also granulated sugar will make them brown vs. powdered sugar.
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