How to know when meringue has been over-whipped?
I have seen many recipes, SO's and videos where the baker/chef/etc put egg white in a machine and whip it on high speed for anything up to and over 10 minutes.
I have been warned about over whipping my egg whites when making meringue...
Though I will start adding sugar from the stiff peak stage, how do I know if I have over whipped the whites?
Best Answer
The sad fact is: you usually know it when, half an hour after you are done whipping it, it floats in a puddle of liquid.
The problem is that it actually continues changing after you have stopped whipping. So, you really have to learn what the previous stage looks like, and stop whipping when that is reached. That's why I don't whip to really stiff peaks myself, instead I whip to soft and continue a bit, but stop before they have crossed the border to stiff, and when I let it sit, I have stiff.
This is assuming that you are making French meringue. If you are making Italian, the hot syrup stabilizes the proteins so they don't expell the water afterwards, and it reduces the volume, so whipping it longer is OK there.
Pictures about "How to know when meringue has been over-whipped?"
Quick Answer about "How to know when meringue has been over-whipped?"
Over-beaten meringue takes on a coarse and grainy appearance. Over-beaten meringue invades without warning. The thing is, no matter how long you beat the egg whites, to the eye they appear smooth and firm. But try to fold them into a heavy batter.What happens if you whip meringue too long?
Over whip the egg whites and you risk making them too firm and they will risk losing the moisture that they hold. This will affect your meringue's crispness, as well as making it more likely to collapse or weep beads of sugar. As my meringue guru Gary Mehigan advises: \u201cIf you over whip the egg whites you cannot fix it.What happens if you overcook meringue?
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 long should meringue be whipped?
It can take a while for a meringue to reach stiff peaks and for the sugar to dissolve\u2014about five minutes with a hand mixer. If the sugar has not dissolved (for example, if it tastes gritty), keep beating.Whipping Egg Whites To Perfect Peaks
Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
Images: Katerina Holmes, Katerina Holmes, Julia Filirovska, Julia Filirovska