Meringue is a delicate dessert that requires care and caution when making. There are many ways to make meringue, but it is always best to avoid opening the oven door while cooking. Opening the oven door disturbs the heat inside and could cause your meringue to not cook properly or collapse. The risk of your meringue collapsing dramatically increases if you have an electric or gas stove instead of an oven. You can still make meringues if you’re worried about upsetting your oven with frequent openings. However, it will take longer and you will need to monitor it carefully to avoid any mishaps. Here are some tips for opening the oven less when cooking meringue.
Tips for opening the oven less when cooking meringue
– Check the humidity level in the oven – Humidity can cause large meringues to collapse by making the exterior finish before the inside cooks. To avoid this, make sure your oven is as dry as possible before baking. – Use silicone baking mats – Silicone baking mats won’t trap moisture and make it easy to clean up after baking. This makes them a good option for baking delicate desserts like meringue since you won’t have to worry about moisture. – Choose a fan-forced oven – A fan-forced oven circulates heat very well, making it easy to avoid opening the door. If you don’t have a fan-forced oven, you may want to consider opening the door less often.
Check your oven’s temperature
– Meringue works best when baked at a low temperature. If your oven is set to a high temperature, you may need to lower it before baking to avoid over- or under-cooking the meringue. – Use a thermometer to check the temperature of your oven. Put the thermometer on the top shelf and set a timer to see how long it takes to reach the right temperature.
Use parchment paper and small ramekins
– Parchment paper can make it easier to lift out delicate meringue desserts once they’re ready to be taken out of the oven. To make it easier, you can fold the parchment paper in half and then in half again to make a larger piece that will be easier to grasp. – Use smaller molds as opposed to a large baking sheet. This will help to keep the meringue from spreading too thinly and causing it to collapse. – A thick baking sheet or a baking dish with high, steep sides will help your meringue stay in shape. If you use an open or low baking dish, then your meringue is more likely to spread out and collapse.
Don’t open the door to check on your meringue
– If you’re worried about burning yourself due to a high oven temperature and a baking time that is too long, you can open the oven door to check on your meringue. However, you should be careful to not disrupt the heat inside the oven. – If you have to open the oven door to check on your meringue, lower the temperature by 25 degrees and check on it every two minutes. This will help to avoid burning the meringue.
Conclusion
Meringue is a delicious and light dessert, but it is also notoriously difficult to make. Fortunately, there are a few ways to open the oven door less often when cooking meringue, so you can avoid the risk of it collapsing or burning. The oven is a great place to cook food, and it helps to extend the amount of time you have to prepare meals. But, with all the different settings, finding the best temperature for each dish can feel overwhelming. Fortunately, with these 10 tips for opening the oven less often when cooking you can enjoy the convenience of the oven without the stress of getting everything just right.