Australian Women's Weekly (1933 - 1982), Saturday 25 August 1934, page 33


Full of Irresistible Delight...

MERINGUE DISHES

By. . . .

MARGARET SHEPHERD

Instructor to

Leading

HOSPITALS

Some so attractive, so enticing that party chatter will come to a little hush of sheer pleasure at sight of them

PICTURE to yourself the crisp frailty of delectable meringues allied with luscious strawberries,

sponge cake, liqueur syrup, and cream whipped

to fluffy goodness... what a dish for a happy birthday party—or any party—for a perfect dinner dessert! And this is but one of the many delicious ways of serving meringues as suggested by our cookery expert.

Meringues and meringue dishes so ap-peal to the palates of big and little.

The making is not very difficult, and, as meringues will keep for a week or two in an airtight tin they can be made in advance for a party, or used as an emer-gency sweet.

To make the ordinary meringue, the necessary materials are fresh eggs, sifted castor sugar and whipped cream. Have in readiness two basins, an egg whisk, or egg-beater, two silver spoons, or a

STRAWBERRY chantilly—so tempting that eyes will sparkle at the sight of it. The recipe for this delicious party or dessert dish is given on this

page. Serve it at your next party.

WHEN NEXT you give a party be sure to include one of these meringue dishes. They represent an out-of-the-ordinary collection of delicacies

that are as attractive as they are satisfying.

forcing bag and large plain pipe. The spoons form the ordinary meringue.

Use the whites of five large eggs and eight ounces of dry sifted castor sugar. Separate the whites from the yolks—

the latter can be used later for some

other purpose—and remove the specks. If a pinch of salt is added, it lowers

the temperature six degrees, cooling the

eggs and making them easier to beat.

Beat or whisk slowly to commence, and gradually increase the speed until the whites are stiff and dry. The froth should stand up in very stiff peaks—if the basin is inverted the froth will not fall out. About three drops of lemon juice or vinegar whitens the mixture, and improves the flavor.

It is difficult to say how long the beating will take as this depends largely on the manner of beating.

When stiff, add the castor sugar, a spoonful at a time. Stir in the sugar lightly. If beaten too long the eggs may be watery.

Meringues can be baked on a baking tin lined with wax paper, or a thick board dipped in cold water, drained and covered with white paper, and held in place with drawing pins. See that the oven is hot enough to just tinge the white paper a faint yellow when in two

minutes.

MERINGUES. . . filled with cream are enticing—and

don't the children

love them!

As meringues swell a little in baking, it is as well to make them a shade smaller than they are needed. When they are set (in about three minutes), leave the oven door ajar, and allow them to dry for about an hour and a half. Just before they are quite firm, lift them out and press the underneath lightly with a spoon; return them to the oven upside down, and dry thoroughly. This makes the meringues hollow, en-abling them to hold more cream.

A SPRING SYMPHONY.

Sponge sandwich cake, yellow jam, finely chopped pistachio nuts, or angelica cut into small pieces, 1 gill whipped cream, meringues.

Spread yellow jam in between the sandwich. Cover well with the jam, sprinkle with the finely chopped nuts. Arrange the round meringues around it, and pile cream in the centre. The cream can be colored pink.

MERINGUE SURPRISE.

Three egg whites, 1 egg yolk, 1½ oz. icing sugar, ½ oz. castor sugar, vanilla essence, 1 pint frozen ice

cream.

Cream egg yolk and icing sugar very well together, flavor to taste, and stir in the stiffly-beaten egg whites. Grease the centre of a silver dish, place a round of cake on it, put ice cream on it, and cover with meringue mixture. Decorate and sprinkle with castor sugar. Place

the dish on an upturned tin in a very hot oven until the meringue colors

faintly. Serve immediately.

MERINGUE CUSTARD.

One pint milk, 4 eggs, 1 tablespoon sugar, vanilla flavoring.

Make a custard with the egg yolks milk and sugar. Cook the custard in

a double boiler, stirring all the time.

Pour into fireproof dish. Whip egg

whites to a stiff froth. Sift a quantity

of castor or icing sugar over them. Cover the custard with this meringue. Sift 1 tablespoon more of sugar over them and bake in a slow oven until the meringue is colored.

GOULBURN MERINGUE.

Five eggs, 10oz. castor sugar, ¾ pint cream, fruits (bananas, candied cherries, tinned apricots, peaches or fresh strawberries).

Beat egg whites to a stiff froth, add castor sugar gradually, beating con- stantly. Spread this meringue on two

pieces of paper about the size of a

dinner plate. Bake in the usual way until firm and dry. Whisk the cream. When stiff add the finely chopped tinned fruits, bananas cut into thin slices. Spread the lower meringue to the depth of one inch with this cream

mixture and cover lightly with the other meringue.

STRAWBERRY CHANTILLY.

A half doz. small, round meringues,

a round piece of sponge cane, straw-berries, whipped cream.

Place sponge cake on a dish, and pour over it some liqueur syrup or sherry. On this, pile ripe strawberries cut in halves (use a silver knife). When well covered with fruit, sprinkle with sugar, and cover with plenty of whipped cream. Put the meringues on top, pressing them into the cream. Decorate between the meringues with whipped cream through a forcing pipe. The cream may be slightly colored. Any tinned fruit may be used when strawberries are not in

season.

MICHAELMAS MERINGUE PIE.

Half lb. flour, ¼ lb. butter, ½ tea-spoon baking powder, 2 egg yolks, a

little lemon juice, prunes which have been soaked and stewed with sugar and lemon rind over night.

Make a rich short crust, using beaten egg yolks instead of water to moisten the dough. Line a shallow, greased tin with the crust. Line the crust with greaseproof paper. Fill with rice or bread. Bake in a hot oven 25 minutes. Remove rice and paper. Return to oven to dry the bottom of the crust (about 5 minutes). Arrange tinned apricots or prunes in the bottom of the dish. Whip the egg whites to a stiff froth, add 2oz. castor sugar, beat until stiff, flavor with vanilla essence. Pile in heaps over

fruit. Brown slightly and dry in a warm oven. Serve either hot or cold.

MERINGUE CAKE.

Six tablespoons castor sugar, 2 egg

whites, 1 tablespoon cornflour, coffee essence.

Mix castor sugar and cornflour to- gether. Add to the stiffly-beaten egg

whites gradually, beating all the time, add one teaspoon coffee essence. Beat well. Put into a shallow, well-buttered

cake tin, cook 60 minutes in a slow oven. Lift on to a plate and cover just

before serving with whipped cream and passionfruit mixed together, or whipped

cream flavored with rum.

All these recipes have been tested by Miss

Shepherd in her own kitchen.