'Please Take Care of My Refrigerator' Egg Meringue: How to Make Crisp, Crunchy Meringue Cookies

Definition and Uses of Meringue

Unlike ordinary cookies that contain preservatives and other additives, making homemade cookies such as chocolate chip cookies offers both the satisfaction of making and eating something yourself and an enjoyable hobby. “Meringue,” an essential component of meringue cookies, refers to egg whites whipped with sugar and a small amount of flavoring, then baked in an oven at a low temperature. Types used to make meringue cookies include cold-process meringue, hot-process meringue, Italian meringue, and Swiss meringue.

Meringue is used in soufflés and sponge cakes or to give Bavarian cream a lighter texture. Almond, coconut, and vanilla are used as flavorings, with vanilla most commonly used for meringue cookies. Meringue boasts a long history, having reportedly been used since the 1720s, and is said to have originated in Mareng, northwestern Italy. On “Please Take Care of My Refrigerator,” a chef used egg meringue to prepare a dish, displaying impressive arm strength and deft hand movements.

Making Meringue and Meringue Cookies

To prepare egg meringue for baking cookies, the meringue must be whipped. Whisk it in one direction, adding sugar as you go, until stiff peaks form. Because this takes strength and effort, a hand mixer is sometimes used. Here is a homemade cookie recipe using egg meringue.

Ingredients and equipment for making cookies: eggs, white sugar, parchment paper, hand mixer, oven, lemon juice, vanilla oil

1. Combine egg whites and sugar in a 1:1 ratio and whip with a hand mixer.

2. While running the hand mixer, gradually add half a teaspoon of lemon juice and the sugar, then continue until stiff peaks form. Add a few drops of vanilla oil while whipping the meringue.

3. Transfer the meringue to a piping bag and pipe evenly sized portions at regular intervals onto parchment paper.

4. Bake the meringue cookies for 1 hour in an oven preheated to 100°C.

5. Allow the meringue cookies to cool, then remove them from the parchment paper.

Precautions When Making Meringue Cookies

Adding lemon juice when making meringue can reduce the eggy smell. One thing to keep in mind when making meringue cookies is that they may burn if baked above 100°C. The key is to bake them at the proper temperature for the appropriate amount of time. If you have eggs, an oven, and just a few other ingredients, try making these cookies.

[FamTimes = Reporter Lee Young-joo]