This week you will be making a meringue slice - involving making a dense sponge base with a meringue topping. You can leave out the coconut if you wish.
Food Science: creaming method
Sugar and fat are ‘creamed’ together until light and fluffy – this is called aeration. Electric whisk create greater aeration as they are faster and create more volume of air bubbles trapped in the mixture. Air bubbles are trapped when heated, causing mixtures to rise.
Food Science: dextrinisation
When dry heat is applied to starch, it turns brown (eg: the flour in cakes). This is called dextrinisation.
Food Science: meringue – mechanical aeration
Meringue is made from whisked egg whites – the bowl must be totally clean and free from fat. Any fat will destroy the protein structure that traps the air. Electric whisks increase volume. Fast-baked meringue will turn brown due to caramelisation of the sugar at a higher temperature. Slower baked meringue will remain white due to a lower temperature.
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Video
This video will just show you the technique for making the meringue - it is important that you follow the method precisely, or your meringue may collapse.