Your Cocktail Needs Meringue
There are a bewildering number of ways to spice up a cocktail: an egg white effervescent blend, a cabernet flow, painting your face with Angostura bitters, or simple citrus and herb zest. However, few side dishes have it all—visually appealing, legitimately delicious, and capable of serving as an insulator. So to make your smoothies better, add a meringue float.
The versatility and flexibility of eggs is staggering, and there is no better proof of their adaptability than meringue. By simply whipping together only the egg whites and sugar, you can turn a gooey, gooey protein into a fluffy, cloudy dessert. There are several ways to prepare meringues, which generally fall into two categories: cooked and raw. I almost never make raw meringues because they are unstable. Egg whites beat well with the sugar, but because the eggs remain raw, the air bubbles eventually burst, at which point the egg white returns to its liquid form, resulting in a sticky, moist meringue. I almost always prefer Swiss meringue. in which sugar and egg whites are heated in a water bath. Proteins are eventually pasteurized and approach the coagulation point (144-149°F) before they are literally whipped in a stand or hand mixer. The resulting meringue is made up of tiny, stable bubbles that give the appearance of lustrous silk. You can do anything with this fluffy material, including adding it to a cocktail.
I first tried this application on the top of a Moscow mule. What I first took to be shiny whipped cream startled me. It would never have crossed my mind to put meringue in a cocktail—surely it would have been a sticky nightmare—but no: the meringue was sweet and fluffy, perfectly complementing the sourness of the lime and ginger beer, and didn’t stick to my lips. I wanted to eat the topping on its own, just as I might try a salty margarita rim or a sugary cinnamon rim of seasonal pumpkin beer, but it’s best when you get a little of everything in one sip. The difference is that a meringue float is much better than a flavored rim.
The meringue is sweet and fluffy, like a shapeless marshmallow (because it almost is), without turning into jelly. The texture is luxurious and soft, and since it’s cooked to almost perfect stability, the topping never seeps or dissolves into your drink like a whipped cream topping. Absolute kicker: The meringue topping will prevent heat loss or penetration through the top of the cup. This is edible insulation. (Have you ever heard of Baked Alaska ? It’s an ice cream cake completely covered in meringue and baked . Meringue is filled with air bubbles, and air bubbles don’t transfer energy at all, so the ice cream stays cold while the meringue gets toasty on the outside.)
I’m not saying your ice won’t melt or your Irish hot chocolate won’t get cold from the heat going through the sides of your cup, but it won’t come out of the top. (If you’re worried about your drink staying the same temperature, try using a vacuum insulated mug and adding meringue to your drink.)
How to make cocktail meringue
To make the perfect snow shake, mix the egg whites and sugar in a 1:2 ratio in a bowl. If you’re having a party and planning on making 12-15 cocktails, I suggest four ounces of egg whites (about four egg whites) and eight ounces of plain sugar, which will make about three to four cups of meringue. Pour one or two inches of water into a small to medium saucepan and place on the stove over medium heat. Place the bowl of sugar and egg whites on the saucepan. This is a water bath. Make sure the bowl is a few inches above the water level. If the water touches the bottom of the bowl while boiling, the egg whites run the risk of curdling, ruining the meringue.
Once the mixing bowl is on top of a pot of simmering water, you must constantly whisk the mixture to keep the egg whites from curdling. Stir quickly and constantly, but not aggressively – the machine will do this later. After three to four minutes, the mixture will smoke slightly; if you dip your finger into it, it should be very hot, and when you rub your fingers together, you should not feel the sugar granules. Remove the mixture from the heat and immediately add it to a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment (you can also use a hand mixer or a hand whisk, but the latter will take a long time). Beat on medium-high speed for five to ten minutes or until you see soft to medium peaks. Congratulations, you’ve made Swiss meringue.
Meringue is versatile in terms of flavor combinations. Unless you add flavored extracts to it, it will only taste sweet. I love it on the Moscow Mule because the sweetness balances the tartness of the lime and the pungency of the ginger, but I can see it pairs well with any dessert cocktail. Start with the cocktail as usual, filled to within a quarter of an inch from the rim. Place ¼ scoop of meringue on top. The meringue will float and you can garnish it with citrus zest, chocolate chips or whatever. Swiss meringue, however stable, does not keep overnight. It is best to use it within four to six hours of preparation.
Swiss meringue ratio and method
Ingredients:
- 1 part egg whites (large serving, 4 oz)
- 2 parts granulated sugar (8 ounces)
Create a water bath with a medium saucepan filled with two inches of water and a mixing bowl. Place the egg whites and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer and beat constantly over medium heat. The water in the water bath should not touch the bottom of the mixing bowl.
Beat in this way for 3-4 minutes or until the mixture begins to smoke slightly. Test this by dipping your finger into the mixture. If it is hot and you do not feel sugar grains on your finger, then you can transfer it to the mixer.
Using the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites until they reach soft to medium peaks, about 5 to 10 minutes. If you want to add a flavoring extract, stir it slowly at the end. Add a scoop of Swiss meringue to your favorite smoothie.