The French Chef: Les meringues

Posted by Chef Sylvie on January 18, 2020

Les meringues cookies

Les meringues cookies are a fun and easy recipe with egg whites for the New Year!

Did you always wanted to make meringues cookies or even better macarons like the delicious Ladurée ones in Paris but did not know how to make this crispy fluffy 5 ingredient sweet French delicate cookie?

Now you can!

Meringue cookies are a staple in French bakeries in France. They are sold by the unit and come in a few flavors; Nature (Vanilla flavored) à la Fraise (Strawberry flavor) or à la pistache (Pistachio flavor - its green!!) Perfect for the traditional and cultural after school snack for school children or tea time between friends.

Don't be afraid and try this recipe... You will master piping them and make macarons to delight everyone around you.

Ingredients

4 egg whites (large)
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/4 teaspoon Kosher Salt
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F.

Place the egg whites in a large, fat free extremely clean mixing bowl, and add the cream of tartar and salt.

Whip the whites on medium speed until foamy and just beginning to turn white.

While continuing to whip, add in the sugar very slowly (about 1/4 teaspoon at a time).

When all the sugar has been added, turn the mixer up to high speed and whip until the meringue is glossy and very stiff.

Stir in the vanilla extract, then fold in the color if wanted.

Transfer the meringue to a clean piping bag fitted with a French star tip, and pipe 1-inch diameter kisses onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. A plastic gallon sized storage bag can be used by cutting the tip.

You can also make a 1 inch “sheet” of meringue using a spatula to even out the batter

Do not brown. Bake the meringues in the warm oven for 2 to 2 1/2 hours, or until light and crisp. Et Voila!

Bon Appetit.

About Chef Sylvie

Chef Sylvie from Cuisine de Sylvie has been a personal chef since 2015 in Chester County, PA serving the West Chester area, Unionville, Chadds Ford, Kennett Square , Centerville, Greenville and Northern Delaware. She specializes in at home private dinner parties and believes in using only fresh and locally sourced ingredients when possible according to the seasons … Just like in France.. Marché du Jour Chef Sylvie was born and raised in Normandy, France. She always wanted to share the love and passion for French cooking and comfort food the French traditional way by only using seasonal fresh produce and meats from the local markets. She believes in healthy eating, simple foods, from scratch, only the fresh seasonal products. After a career in corporate America in purchasing and digital marketing, she decided to follow her passion by becoming a personal chef. Her intensive internship in France at “L’auberge de la Luzerne” as a sous-chef allows her to provide traditional and classic cooking to all her clients and also caters to special diets. She caters events, private dinners, birthday parties, Girls ‘night out, Crepes bar party, wine and book clubs. She also provides cooking classes in small groups or one on one setting. Sylvie has joined forces several nights a week at Verbena BYOB along side executive and chef owner Scott Morozin, sharing her French culinary expertise and fine dining experience.