That's a great point about the Italian meringue being more versatile with other sugar sources, since the overall sugar content (and presumably the resulting consistency) are determined by the boiling point more than by the amount of each ingredient added before heating. I never would have thought of that.
@@zaily348 In the recipe she uses 340g. 17:28 You didn't ask about calculating for sugar substitutes, but re-visiting my comment a year later, I realize that it might be useful for anyone who happens to see this. If you're using something else that has sugar in it, like honey or syrup, I think what you can do is look at the nutrition label, specifically at the number of carbs by weight, and you're trying to get 340g grams of carbs for this recipe. The carbs will tell you how much sugar is in it, and the rest is basically water weight. Water weight doesn't matter too much because when you boil to a specific temperature, you're basically dialing in a specific water-sugar ratio. So if you know the amount of sugar is the same, and the temperature is the same, the amount of water remaining is the same. It might vary a _little_ bit from one type of sugar to another (glucose, fructose, sucrose, etc.) but it's probably a good starting point. So let's say we're doing half granulated sugar, half honey. Half of 340g is 170g, so we want 170g of granulated sugar, and 170g of sugar from honey. Since honey isn't pure sugar, this doesn't mean we use 170g of honey. This is the part with the math. Checking the nutrition label on the specific honey we're using, it says there are 17g of carbohydrates in a 21g serving. 17/21 gives us 0.81 grams of sugar per gram of honey. So we take the 170g figure, for the amount of sugar we're trying to get, and we divide it by 0.81 to get 210g of honey. So 210g of honey and 170g of granulated sugar gives us the 340g of total sugar. Although the honey already has some water in it, some additional water might be useful to prevent the sugar at the bottom from burning as the mixture heats up.
So glad you're enjoying watching Erin! You can find more of her videos on our channel, including a puff pastry tutorial (ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-zvEQyPj968A.html), how to make donuts (ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-OY2edngsL6o.html) and a pie crust deep-dive (ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-jT3UZ4qI1ro.html)!
THANK YOU for FINALLY talking about the food safety aspect of making meringue. I have watched so many videos and they just gloss over it and act like it’s no big deal to eat under cooked egg white. I feel as though it’s been an elephant in the room and this finally gave clear instruction on when to use what type of meringue and how!
I'm right at the beginning and already extremely excited. I've recently made an Italian meringue as a frosting and torched it and it looked very similar to what Erin has in the thumbnail. 😊 P. S. The only thing that's missing from these brilliant videos are proper subtitles so that even people who depend on them (deaf, hard of hearing, etc.) get the fantastic knowledge that this channel provides. Thank you, guys. ❤️
Hi Judy, so glad you're finding Erin's tutorial useful! You can always turn on the captions within the RU-vid player by clicking the CC button. Hope this helps!
greetings from Indonesia, I'm your new fan, lots of RU-vidrs make cooking content but you are the most relaxed, humorous and full of knowledge so you don't get bored watching your shows, I hope you and your family are healthy and more successful
Like your show Erin. And when I was a kid I was the Meringue kid. And the egg whites were mixed with the egg beater. And the sugar was mixed with water and cooked on the stove until a "stage", I don't remember if soft ball or hard ball. So we made meringue in the 50"s without a standmixer.!!!!
Loving your videos, Erin, and I wanted to tell you about the Italian candy, Torrone, (you probably know all about it)--It is an Italian meringue made with sugar and honey--poured into beaten egg whites--just as you did here...but with nuts added at the end. As you described the versatility of an Italian meringue, I remembered my days of making Torrone candy for special family events. It is made all over the world but most of what we eat is in the style of that made in Cremona, in northern Italy. It can be hard or soft, depending on how long the sugar syrup is cooked. Thanks for everything, Erin!
Love this episode I come back to this often as their is so much you teach. I enjoy every episode with you Erin. I'm currently cradling the Fearless Baker like you and millions like us cradle our mixer. Is it possible to purchase every episode your on as it's a volume of perfection I would love to just have in my library?
Who knew??? There were so many different types of meringue! No wonder my lemon meringue pie weeped. I was using the wrong type of meringue AND I need to invest in a torrrccchhh!! lol Thank you Erin, I have learnt so much from you channel!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Ms McDowell... Erin.... Oh my gosh I love you. Having gone through much of your "classes" I have learned so much. Honestly you're the best. Thanks for your work. And I am really looking forward to my Christmas dessert... The lemon, tangerine meringue pie.
Great tips. Excellent explanations. My auntie from France, an excellent cook especially pastry “aficionado” tough me while I was living with her and her husband’s so this being me back to lovely memories. I caught the bug of cooking with her. Thanks for your Chanel I am now a subscriber! Looking forward to seeing more.
I am loving Bake It Up a Notch! It's incredibly helpful. Mildly interesting fact: In Europe inc. the UK pasteurised eggs are standard and we eat mousses and mayonnaise with raw eggs in >.< Especially common in France in my experience to actually eat raw eggs just as they are. See steak tartare for example.
I am the one who started separating eggs in the hand long ago, and shared it. You're welcome. Love your dog. Love this video because good cooking needs someone truly appreciative.
Erin, is it possible to make Italian meringue without a stand mixer? My go-to is Swiss because I can make it with just a hand mixer, while it seems to me that I'd need three arms to make Italian happen.
I did an Italian meringue with a hand mixer twice and it went great! sure, if I had a third hand it would be easier, but you can do it! I hope you make one, it's amazing!
Hi Erin! Why does my sugar stick to the side of my bowl when making a Swiss meringue? It is hit or miss because sometimes this doesn’t happen. When it does it makes my SMBC gritty. Nobody likes gritty buttercream... most of all me 🤢
I tried to make Italian buttercream, but it tastes way too buttery, and quite a bit of the sugar syrup was stuck to the sides and bottom of the bowl. I'm not sure what went wrong. Not enough sugar mixed with the egg whites perhaps?
I love your lessons, you're a real professional with a flair for teaching... Tho it does make it difficult to go back over the recipe... 😂 But keep it up, you're grand!
This is a seriously good, thorough and easy to follow instructive video. She is a great teacher. And she holds the viewer's interest throughout the entire presentation - it never got boring and I never wanted to "fast forward", so to speak. Hope to see a lot more of her in cooking videos - she should have her own show.
I LOVE this video and Erin!!! This is my 2nd watch and I’m taking notes. I’ve struggled to understand the different types of meringues and Erin does an excellent job of explaining and demonstrating each. Erin, you are a perfect teacher- love all your vids
I love how brilliant she is. She has found her calling, which can be difficult to do. I am a classically trained bassoonist and for whatever reason, I understand and relate to her studies -- I know nothing about her, though I can tell she has studied in Europe, definitely France, and likely other places around the globe, and that she has a natural ability.
I once made pavlova cake, I used whipped cream and strawberries filling. Then I put it in the fridge for a few hours. After about 3 hours, I cut it, but the pavlova was not crunchy anymore, was all sticky. I was wondering If I did wrong put it in the fridge or or making the merengue? 🤔
Sugar is hydroscopic meaning that it draws in moisture when cooled. It will aborbe moisture not only from the filling, but also the humidity in the fridge. Next time, assemble it right before serving.
I love that you show the mistakes people make and how they look when done wrong! It really helps to see my mistakes and what I did to get there bc so often I have no idea!! Please continue that!!
Good use for yolks is french butter cream, one of the best frostings, fillings or toppings, also keeps well in ziplock bag in fridge or weeks in freezer.
I make a 100 year old family chocolate pie recipe that is phenomenal but the merengue has been my bane of my existence. Next time italian merengue and a torch will take care of it. Never had as good an explanation. I like the why, not just how. Thanks!
Hello Erin , I stumbled on your video recently and you're wonderful . You explain the science of baking with such a comprehensive flair . I am left with knowledge to the point of teaching someone else . I know I will make the best pies ; my dearly departed mother would so proud . I will be watching as a dutiful student - don't worry I am retired and will not be opening a bakery ... if I did it would called , " For The Love of Erin " .
When I’m making a French meringue, I heat my sugar. I put it in the oven as the oven is pre-heating, and warm it. I then add by the tablespoon after the whites are foamy. Once fully added, I whip for another 5 minutes. I have found that the heat plus the added whipping time ensures that the sugar dissolves and there is no ‘grit’
I am just blown away by Erin McDowell. She is simply masterful. This tutorial is so comprehensive, clear, concise, and fun to watch. Erin is smart and a great communicator, and she created a resource that is extremely valuable for us all. Thank you!!!! 😍❤️
I ever got that Chalaza thing in my mouth from an italian buttercream that i made and it was horrible! It felt like i was eating a worm, since them i take them out if they fall in my whites..
1. What's the least amount of sugar that you can add, in order to achieve the same results? 2. Can u do a meringue with fresh fruit juices? How do we cut down the amount of sugar, if so?
I just discovered Erin, and I’m such a huge fan now. This inspired me to make meringue cookies for the first time in my life, and since I had egg yolks and had just watched her pie episode, I made lemon curd for the first time ever! I’m usually so intimidated by baking, but Erin has really inspired me to try new things! 💕
I just want to thank you honestly you are the 👑 educationally you will never find another teacher as lovely as Erin . Ok PBS time for Erin own TV 📺 show 👑 Julia would approve.⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Some boxed egg whites have additional stabilizers and thinners that prevent the egg white from having the “gloopy” texture. It makes it easier when making an egg white omelet but hinders the egg white from taking on a light an airy texture, making it difficult or impossible to whip up.
I was looking through comments to see if anyone said anything about this. I always use bottled whites, because I don't like anything made with yolks, and I've never had any problems. I've made meringue cookies, pavlova and swiss meringue (never tried Italian) buttercream and they all worked well.
What? No Baked Alaska? The first I ever had Baked Alaska was in Erin McDowell's grandmother Mary's kitchen about 1967. I was astonished she could bake ice cream, with the meringue acting as an insulator. It was wonderful.
Hey Erin! I have a question about baking my French meringues. I have tried a few times to make meringue cookies some with egg whites some with aquafaba and fail every time. My meringue looks good (as far as I know) before hitting the oven, but during baking they completely melt into a puddle. I've used recipes I find online and one of them was from Donna Hay. What is my problem and how can I fix it?
HELP! I made the Italian Meringue to Top a pie and I wanted to flavor it with a Coconut Cream Liquor, so I added a tablespoon at the end and the entire Meringue collapsed! I had soup and no matter how long I whipped it wouldn’t stiffen back up. What happened?! Is there a limit to the amount of flavoring you and add to the Meringue before it’s useless?
Hi Erin. Great video, but I have a question regarding the Italian meringue. Other recipes state that after you have added the syrup, you will need to whip the meringue until the bowl is lukewarm or cool to the touch, which can take up to 10 minutes. You do not mention this in the video. Do you agree with that assessment? Thanks. :)
Question: I live in the Deep South, so very hot and humid, but for Christmas I decided to make Meringue Cookies for my friends and family. They came out great and I never put them in the fridge for storage, just a little snap top container but within hours they got so STICKY! I literally had to put them in my dehydrator and keep it running but then some got over toasted. I know you can eat them down here because I can buy them from the grocery store bakery and open the containers and they are good for a week. What am I missing?
Hi! Is it also true that moisture and humidity really harm a meringue? I’ve researched French macarons and all recipes seem to say that - but I wasn’t sure if that applies for all meringue. I mean moisture during the whipping process. I heard her say that undissolved sugar attracts moisture and thereby causes weeping, but I just wanted to know if I should be weary of a humid day as well. Would she happen to have a macaron recipe? I love Erin! Her videos are so helpful and I think she’d be the best at answering even the most technical questions!
Most of my difficulty with whipping up egg whites comes when I have to do it without adding sugar. Many cake recipes call for "stiff" egg whites (sugar has already been added to the butter portion of the cake.) Without the sugar, the egg whites don't whip up glossy and don't really get floopy. I think I tend to overwhip them. Any advice or cues to tell when I have reached the right point for egg whites without sugar?
I was separating eggs in my hands when I started baking and cooking when I was 12 (I'm 69 now). My mother didn't like it much, but its better than wasting eggs if the yolk breaks into the whites.
I make meringue for my lemon pie. It cooks up beautiful Nice and big and then it deflates as it cools. So frustrating from beautiful and fluff to flat and awful. What am I doing wrong. Please Help.
Erin, you are genius and answered the most likely reason my first attempt at macarons didn't get right. I stirred my sugar the whole time it was on the stove, and now I know to stop when the bubbles begin. I can't tell you how much I appreciated this video!! 😊
