If you’re like me, you probably never heard of meringue until you purchased a Vitamix blender. Even if you knew what it was before, you are probably unsure how to make meringue in a Vitamix blender. But I have learned, and today I am here to teach you this awesome recipe.
But what is meringue? The best definition of meringue is egg whites that have been beaten with sugar to create a stiff mixture. It is a desert, and it did originate from France. Meringue is delicate, sweet, and excellent for anyone who has a hungry sweet tooth.
There are actually three different types of meringue. One is French, the other is Italian, and the last one is Swiss. Each type of meringue is crafted uniquely using its own special method and recipe. You can also use meringue for a lot of different things. It’s typically used in baking components, and it is often applied to cake batters to make them lighter.
You can also use meringue as a topping on your pies and tarts. You can even just eat it as a cookie to satisfy your sweet tooth.
But can you make meringue in your Vitamix blender? That is what we’re all here to find out. The short answer is yes. While meringue does have a traditional way in which it is made, you can definitely use a powerful Vitamix blender to do it quicker and easier. If you really want to take the extra energy and use a hand whisk, it’s up to you. But I highly suggest trying an electric whisk and a blender for your first time.
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Can You Whip Egg Whites In A Blender?
As mentioned above, you can make meringue in a blender. However, it is not recommended to whip egg whites in your blender so this part must be done by hand (or with an electric whisk). A blender is just not the best tool for the job of whipping egg whites, and the blades move way too fast.
Egg whites are made up of albumin protein strands and to make them stiff enough for meringues, you have to agitate and mix them to trap air in between the strands. It is when the air gets trapped that the egg whites start becoming stiff.
Using a blender to whip egg whites will break these proteins and air will not be able to get trapped in between the strands. If you have a blender where you can set the power level, then using the lowest setting may work. An electric hand blender is a better option for whipping egg whites and whisking them by hand is the preferred option.
Egg whites are very delicate and throwing them in a blender is not the best way to treat them. There are literally a million ways that you can use your blender to prepare food, whipping egg whites is not one of them.
How to Make Meringue in a Vitamix
I’m going to teach you this recipe in a few important steps. We won’t be talking about measurements right away, but just how to properly create your meringue. It does require a small bit of patience and a little time. Everything needs to be done just right to get the perfect meringue.
Step 1: The first step is the sugar. The trick is to get the sugar processed just right. You should process the sugar until it has an extremely fine consistency. You can measure sugar directly into your Vitamix blender, then process it using the blender until it becomes beyond fine. This will actually take around 2 minutes.
If you don’t want to use your blender for making the sugar fine, you can always just buy fine sugar from the store. However, I think it’s more fun to do it in your blender.
This is not a step you can skip. The sugar needs to be fine so that it whips easier with the egg whites. Otherwise, you will have a gritty and unpleasant meringue.
Step 2: The second step is to measure all your ingredients. This depends on what exactly you’re planning to make with your meringue. If you’re using it as a topping, measurements are not as important as opposed to if you’re folding it into a batter for something a little more complex.
Step 3: You must crack your eggs and then separate the egg yolks from the egg whites. Once you have gotten your egg whites separated, allow them to reach room temperature. This will take about 5 minutes. It’s important for them to be room temperature because they will whip best when slightly warm rather than when they are cool out of the refrigerator. The result is the best meringue possible. And so, give them a few minutes on the counter to allow them to warm.
Step 4: You need to slowly blend your egg whites. Add them to a bowl and then whisk them gently. You really can’t use your blender for this part. You want to start mixing slowly to let the proteins form together and trap air bubbles. You can use an electric blender at a very low speed, but I recommend doing this part by hand.
If you want to add some extra taste, add a bit of cream during this stage or a couple of drops of lemon juice. This will also help to strengthen the proteins and make a stable meringue.
Read More: How to make lemon sorbet in a Vitamix
Step 5: After you have gotten the egg whites blended perfectly, you can begin adding the sugar slowly. You want to do this a single teaspoon at a time while continuously mixing at the lowest possible speed.
Ste 6: The mixture now needs to be beaten. You want to mix and beat the mixture until it’s stiff. The whites should have a glossy and white look and stand up completely straight with a subtle bend at the tip. It is important not to mix too far, otherwise, the mixture will need to be redone. You have to get the perfect amount of mixing for the glossiest texture. The glossy texture will tell you that the consistency is right.
Notes: For each batch of meringue, you should use 4 egg whites and 1 cup of sugar. You can tweak the recipe as necessary, but the general rule is 1 cup of sugar for every 4 egg whites.
Read More: Can I whisk eggs with a hand blender?
How to Make Meringue in a Vitamix: Final Thoughts
Yes, this is an article about how to make meringue using your Vitamix blender. However, it’s not really recommended that you blend the egg whites with your blender. The only thing you really use your blender for in this recipe is mixing the sugar to make it fine.
If you try to use your blender for mixing the egg whites, you could end up mixing them way too much, thereby ruining their consistency. This is because the blades in a blender are way too sharp and will cut through the mixture instead of whisking it to the best consistency.
And so, you can use your Vitamix blender to create fine sugar, but I highly suggest blending the actual egg whites using a hand whisk or an electronic mixer that has an exceptionally low speed. Meringue is not difficult to make, and with a bit of practice, you can definitely master your own recipe.