Make Magic with Meringues Three Desserts to Whip Up

There was a time when passionate cooks used egg yolks with abandon in sauces, custards and fancy desserts, leaving them with the dilemma of what to do with all the extra egg whites. Today, because of the presumed connection between egg yolks and cholesterol (which many nutritionists dispute), you’re more likely to end up with extra egg yolks!
But should you find yourself executing a recipe that only uses the yolks, the whites can easily be stored in the freezer almost indefinitely. Keep adding to your container until you have accumulated about a cup’s worth, which is enough to create many magical meringue-based desserts.
In case you’re wondering, packaged liquid egg whites such as those marketed by Egg Beaters, while useful, cannot be whipped, according to the company’s website. However, Richmond-based C.F. Sauer Company sells a product called Egg White Magic in 7/8-ounce packets, suitable for both meringue and angel food cake.
When meringue is baked to a glossy finish, it is visually appealing but without much taste. By combining it with more flavorful ingredients—such as chocolate or citrus—you’ll be on your way to fashioning impressive desserts suitable for fall entertaining, including the trio provided below.

Egg White Pointers
To successfully whip egg whites, make sure no specks of shell or yolk get into them. Let whites stand at room temperature before beating. A pinch of cream of tartar will help insure maximum volume. Once the whites are well beaten, gradually add the sugar until the mixture is stiff and glossy.

Chantilly a l’Orange

Although this elegant selection is full of calories, it is surprisingly light and refreshing. Once again, it proves that the marriage of orange and chocolate is a fortuitous union.

4 egg whites
1 1/3 cups sifted confectioner’s sugar
2½ cups whipping cream
3 tablespoons orange liqueur
3 tablespoon grated orange zest
Mandarin orange sections, garnish

CHOCOLATE SAUCE
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons confectioner’s sugar
1 tablespoon orange liqueur

Several hours or the day before serving, beat the egg whites until very stiff. Sprinkle the sugar over the whites, and fold in with a rubber scraper. Spread on a foil-lined cookie sheet to form a 1-inch-thick circle, and bake at 275 degrees for 1 hour. Turn off the oven, leave the door ajar, and let meringue cool in the oven for 1 hour. Break into 1-inch pieces and set aside.
In a large bowl, with mixer on high, beat the cream until thick. Add the liqueur and orange peel. Fold in the meringue pieces. Transfer the mixture to a freezer container, cover and freeze several hours or overnight.
About 20 minutes before serving, remove the dessert from the freezer and let stand at room temperature while preparing the sauce. For the sauce, melt the chocolate and butter in the top of a double boiler until smooth. Add the sugar and liqueur, blending well. If sauce seems too thick, add a little water. Spoon the chantilly into individual dessert dishes or wine glasses, and drizzle the chocolate sauce on top. Garnish with mandarin orange sections if desired. Serves 8 to 10.

Mulberry Plantation
Lemon Cream Meringue Pie

Guaranteed to make you forget every other lemon meringue pie you ever tasted, this spectacularly rich creation features the meringue on the bottom.

4 eggs, separated
1 tablespoon cold water
½ teaspoon cream of tartar
1½ cups + 1 tablespoon sugar, divided
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 cups whipping cream, divided

Several hours or the day before serving, beat the egg whites with water and cream of tartar until stiff. Gradually add 1 cup of sugar, and beat until stiff and glossy. Spread in a spray-coated 9-inch glass pie pan, building up the edges. Bake at 300 degrees for 40 minutes. Turn off the oven, and leave meringue in oven until it cools completely.
Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, beat the egg yolks until thick and lemony. Beat in ½ cup of sugar, lemon peel and juice. Transfer the mixture to the top part of a double boiler, and cook over simmering water, stirring constantly, until thick—about 10 minutes. Let cool. Whip 1 cup of the cream until stiff and fold into the lemon mixture. Fill the center of the meringue with this mixture, cover and chill several hours or overnight.
Just before serving, whip the remaining cream with the remaining tablespoon of sugar and spread over the pie. Use a serrated knife to cut into wedges. Serves 8 to 10.

Forgotten Kisses

These morsels double as a sensibly low-fat treat or an accompaniment to a fruit dessert (such as fresh fruit compote or sherbet) that you want to dress up for company.

3 egg whites
1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
¾ cup sugar
1 cup (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips

The day before serving, preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Place the egg whites and cream of tartar in a deep bowl and beat at high speed until soft peaks form. Slowly add the sugar, beating well, until the egg whites are stiff and glossy. With a rubber scraper, fold the chocolate chips into the whites. Drop the mixture by teaspoonfuls onto a spray-coated cookie sheet. Place the cookie sheet in the oven, and immediately turn off the heat. Leave the kisses in the oven overnight. Use a metal spatula to remove the kisses. Store, loosely covered, at room temperature. Makes about 3 dozen.

Ginnie Manuel is a Midlothian-based freelance writer and cookbook editor whose food columns have appeared in The Washington Post, Baltimore Sun, Columbia (MD) Flier and the Mid-York Weekly Pennysavers.

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