Old Fashioned Meringue Recipe

 

 

 

Old Fashioned Meringue Recipe

 

This recipe makes crisp outers and gooey, chewy insides. They are exactly the type my Mum and Dad bought for me from our local bakery when I was a little girl. I hope you enjoy them as much as I did and do.

 

Ingredients

 

4 egg whites

1 cup castor sugar (although white sugar will work too)

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

6-9 drops of food colouring

1 teaspoon vinegar

3 teaspoons corn flour

Sprinkles

 

Equipment You Will Need

 

Oven

2 trays

Baking paper

Electric mixer with a  balloon whisk (although standard beaters work as well, but take longer)

Measuring cups and spoons

Spatula

Large cup, vase or jar

Spoon

Piping bag

Star nozzle (Pastry sized which I think is 1/4 inch)

 

 

Method

 

1. Preheat your oven to 150 degrees Celsius (302F). Line two trays with baking paper and set aside.

 

2. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a balloon whisk, add your egg whites and beat on a medium speed until they form soft peaks.

 

3. Slowly add the sugar and continue to whisk until the sugar has dissolved into the egg white, and the mixture is smooth, glossy and quite stiff.

 

4. Add the vanilla, food colouring, vinegar and sifted corn flour. Beat on low until the colour has been evenly mixed through. You might need to use a spatula to combine the ingredients properly.

5.  TIP: Insert the nozzle into the piping bag and put the tip end into the cup or jar. Wrap the end of the piping bag around the mouth of the jar so it's open and easy to fill. Scoop out the meringue mixture and fill the piping bag.

 

6. On the pre-lined trays, slowly and carefully pipe 5cm (2 inch) base circles and spiral the meringue up, stopping the pressure on the bag to form a neat peak. This method of piping will ensure gooey middles and crispy outsides. Decorate with sprinkles.

 

7. Once you've done that, place both trays in the oven. Turn the temperature down to 100C (210F). Bake for 2.5 hours, changing the trays around at half time. Leave the door of the oven closed, with the temperature off for another 3 hours. (No one said that this would be a short cooking time, but believe me, it's worth it!)

 

8. Some care will be needed to remove the meringues from the baking paper. Enjoy! 

 

DIY Cheap Chicken Feeder

 We've added some new additions to our flock, and we wanted a feeder that took up less space, and that we didn't have to fill so often. When I was at the hardware store, we were looking at the plumbing section and I had a brain wave.

Materials: We bought the materials for two feeders, but this is what you will need for one. 

1 1.5m length of 90mm pipe 

1 45 degree angle fitting 

1 end cap 

1 push in fitting with screw in end 

1 screw cap 

2 wall brackets 

Method

Step One: Measure the length of the pipe to the desired length, and cut. We used the measurement of 120cms (47inches). The pipe is pretty easy to cut. Then cut another length about 5-10cm (2-4 inches). 

Step Two: Fix the 45 degree part onto the base of the pipe. (So easy the kids can do it!) 

Step Three: On the other end, fix the part that allows the cap to be screwed on, and then screw the cap on. 

Step Four: On the end with the angle, attach the smaller piece of pipe, and put on the other (non-screw) cap. 

Finished Product : If you're that way inclined, you can use special plumbing glue and stick it all toghether, but since our feeder is in a shed, we didn't bother.

Note: Will upload a finished product picture very soon!