Meringue is usually slotted into dessert class, however it doesn’t must be. Considering the brief checklist of substances—egg whites and a contact of acid—it is clear there’s nothing innately candy, aat least till you add a pile of sugar. So don’t. Meringue can type the idea of a light-weight and crunchy snack or function a meal part that’s full-on savory.
As meringue is primarily composed of egg whites, you possibly can simply omit the sugar, which is not mandatory for whipping and even stability. The well-known apply of including a little bit of cream of tartar will decrease the PH of the combination and assist stabilize the meringue, however with that taken care of, you possibly can season it nevertheless you please (barring the addition of oils and fat, which is able to break down the construction).
My recipe for savory meringue chips makes a pleasant fat-free, gluten-free nosh that works by itself or can function a beautiful topping for any dish that can profit from a crispy, flavorful crunch. Unlike candy meringue cookies you might have had prior to now, these chips aren’t arduous or dense, however exquisitely gentle and tender. They begin out crispy and fully disintegrate in your mouth, abandoning solely the flavour of whichever daring spices you blended in.
How to make savory meringue chips
Some ripples are completely high-quality if you unfold out the meringue.
Credit: Allie Chanthorn Reinmann
Starting with a clear mixing bowl and whisk attachment (or a guide whisk, if you happen to’re doing issues by hand). Add the egg whites and whisk till a light-weight foam varieties. Sprinkle within the cream of tartar and salt. Continue whipping at excessive pace till you attain the agency peak stage. Use a rubber spatula to softly fold in any dry herbs or seasonings you want. I used smoked paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder.
On a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, unfold the meringue into a fair layer about an inch thick. Optionally, you possibly can prime this layer with sesame seeds like I did, or strive a distinct seed if you happen to like. Bake the meringue for an hour and 20 minutes in a 200°F oven. When the cook dinner time has elapsed, flip off the oven and stick an oven mitt or a folded towel within the oven door to maintain it cracked. Let the meringue slowly cool and dry like this for a further hour. Afterward, the meringue must be crisp, with out exhibiting a lot shade.
Once you’ve made dinner, soup, or a salad—and simply earlier than consuming—break the meringue into chips, or smaller bits and items to scatter over a salad. Keep any remaining meringue in a tightly sealed container on the countertop. As lengthy because it stays dry, the meringue chips will preserve for per week or so.
My recipe for meringue chips is beneath, however you possibly can substitute any spices you want.
Savory Meringue Chips Recipe
Ingredients:
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3 egg whites
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¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
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¼ teaspoon salt
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⅛ teaspoon garlic powder
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⅛ teaspoon onion powder
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⅛ teaspoon smoked paprika
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Sesame seeds to sprinkle on prime (elective)
1. Preheat the oven to bake at 200°F. Line a baking sheet with a bit of parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
2. Whip the egg whites in a clear bowl with a clear whisk attachment till it begins to foam. Sprinkle within the cream of tartar and salt. Whisk till the meringue reaches the agency peak stage.
3. Gently stir within the seasonings. Spread the meringue out on the parchment lined baking sheet in a fair layer about an inch thick. Sprinkle sesame seeds on prime.
4. Bake it for an hour. Crack the door and let the meringue dry and funky for an additional hour. Break the savory meringue into items and prime your couscous, steak, salad, or snack on them as-is.
