traditional decorative material in pastry
work, is made by whipping a 4 to 1 mixture
of powdered sugar and egg white for 10 or
15 minutes. Royal icing is not a simple
foam — it’s a combination of a very dense
foam and a paste. Much sugar remains
undissolved, but it’s so fine that we can’t
feel it on the tongue.
A common problem with meringue pie
toppings is that they weep syrup onto the base
and don’t adhere properly. This can be caused
both by relative undercooking of the foam
bottom when the pie base is cold and the oven
hot, or by relative overcooking on a hot pie
base in a moderate oven. Preventive measures
include covering the pie base with a syrup-
absorbing layer of crumbs before adding the
meringue topping, and including starch or
gelatin in the foam to help it retain moisture.
Humid weather is bad for meringues. Their
sugary surface absorbs moisture from the air
and gets soft and sticky. It’s best to transfer
barry
(Barry)
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