Misha's Meringue Malaise - was, Re: [Sca-cooks] Newby to the list

[XvLoverCrimvX at aol.com]

In a message dated 7/6/01 10:53:16 AM Eastern Daylight Time, troy at asan.com
writes:

> So, are we talking about complete failure to puff up and turn white in
>  the beating stage, or did they somehow cook wrong? What kind of mint
>  flavoring did you use? Oven temp? Cooking time? Are you sure the bowl
>  was clean, free of all fat, including yolks? Is it very humid where you
live?
>
>
>  Insufficient data...

> Also, what kind of bowl? Plastic, metal, glass? Plastic can have scratches
>  which hide fat or soap, which will also cause your whites to not beat
>  up. What else did you put in besides mint flavor and sugar?
>
>  If it failed in the baking stage, how did you shape it, and how thick did
>  you make it?

Okay. No the eggs were fine and did puff up. They soon started to get warm
and I was worried so I put them on ice. My experience with meringues is that
they are sort of crunchy and easily melted with water. These were soft and
mushy. I cooked them about 350 degrees until they got a little brown. It can
be humid in Va because it has its days. And the bowl was clean of all egg
yolks and fat. And all I put in it was mint flavoring and sugar. I shaped it
about one regular spoon shape. I also used a metal bowl.

Misha