CRISP. DELICATE. AND SO SIMPLE.
Keto meringue is possibly the easiest sugar free / low carb dessert to make and one that I’d argue is even nicer than regular meringue, which I find cloyingly sweet.
This version is delicate, crisp with a chewy inside and just the right amount of sweet.
Taking sugar out of anything takes away structure as well as sweetness, but the cream of tartar and inulin together replace the structural element and the erythritol adds just the right amount of sweet and crunch.
When baking meringue, oven temperature is key. This sugar free version cooks at a slightly lower temperature than regular meringue. Meringue shouldn’t really brown a lot – a delicate off white is the target colour, so if it starts to brown quickly, your oven is too hot (just whip it out or open the oven door to reduce the temperature. You don’t have to worry about it flopping like a sponge cake). As all oven temperatures are different, keep a good eye on yours in the first 5 – 10 mins and lower it if needed. Always err on the side of cool with this meringue.
The second phase of ‘cooking’ is with the oven off, and this is really drying the meringue out, and needs at least an hour, and then ideally abandoning it in the closed oven overnight. Don’t worry when you see still wobbly meringue after the first hour, the next day when completely cool, these meringues will be crisp on the outside and slightly chewy on the inside.
Once fully cool, it is essential to store these meringues completely airtight, as they quickly absorb an humidity and become slightly chewy and then eventually like marshmallow. This got absolutely zero complaints at home, but it’s good to know. For that reason I’d recommend the first time you make this, to pipe or use teaspoons to drop small shells, as they are much easier to store in a jar and keep airtight.
Eat these on their own, with lemon curd and greek yogurt, with berries or to top off an eton mess. The same 3 egg recipe can be used baked as 2 discs or rectangles for a gateau, or piped for a large nest, though it makes keeping the meringues airtight slightly trickier.
AS always, when whipping egg whites, use a glass or metal bowl that’s clean, dry and fat free. Plastic bowls are oil magnets and stop the egg whites from whipping properly.
Keto Meringue Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 egg whites
- 1/2 tbsp cream of tartar
- 60 g inulin
Buy Inulin - 45 g erythritol
- 1 tsp vanilla essence
- pinch salt (optional)
Instructions
- Whizz the erythritol and inulin to powdered sugar in a blender.
- Separate the eggs, making sure absolutely no yolk gets in.
- Add cream of tartar and a pinch of salt to the egg whites and whisk on low to form bubbles.
- Increase speed until it forms stiff peaks.
- Spoon by spoon, add the sugar mix, beating each time for 30 seconds or so.
- Add vanilla and beat until all sugar is mixed and meringue is glossy, taking care not to overbeat.
- Spoon or pipe onto a sheet of greaseproof paper. Tip, flatten any peaks with the back of the spoon for even browning.
- Bake in a cool oven on a low shelf. Bake for 10 min @ 85 degrees and lower to 70 or 60 for a further 50 minutes.
- Turn off oven. At this stage meringues will still be wobbly. Leave to cool in the oven for at least an hour. Overnight is ideal when they will crisp completely.
- Meringues should peel easily from the greasproof paper when done.
- Store in an airtight container or freeze in a watertight bag.
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