Dogs and cats and kitchens oh my!
Friday, May 6, 2011 My pets are beginning to prove a problem in my kitchen. More on that later. First, let’s talk marshmallow and meringue.
Making marshmallow became one of the bigger of baking trends in recent years – just after Parisian-style macaroons (macarons) and before cupcakes, house-made marshmallow squares were the ubiquitous treat seen in all the tony bakeshops. Now, our fickle sweet tooth has moved on to cakes pops (look for my version of those in a later blog post).
A recent class I taught at Cook’s Warehouse in Atlanta allowed me to play with the fluffy white stuff. Along with meringue, we talked marshmallow and egg whites, then spent the rest of the day piping Easter swans and “Peep” ducks.
We piped marshmallow, too, to create pops to dip in chocolate.
Egg whites are one of the most miraculous ingredients in cooking – the albumen of an egg has the capacity to increase to eight times its original volume when whipped. Add sugar, and poof! You’ve got a glorious meringue.
My student, Piper, piped this Easter Peep - her first try!
There are three types of meringue – which is nothing more than a 2:1 ratio of sugar to egg whites. It’s how the sugar is added that makes the difference in the meringue’s texture and strength. It’s also important to remember that a very clean bowl – no plastics – must be used. Fat residues are fatal to a meringue’s ability to increase in volume. Cream of tartar (an acid) is sometimes added for stability and whitening – by changing the pH level of the protein structure.
- Common meringue – egg whites are whipped on high speed while the sugar is poured into the mixture during whipping on high volume. Advantage: This is the fastest and easiest meringue to make. Disadvantage: Common meringue is the grainiest and weakest in texture.
- Italian meringue – a sugar syrup is cooked to 245 degrees, then poured in a stream slowly into whipping egg whites. Advantage: This meringue is the silkiest and strongest in texture. Disadvantage: While not difficult, Italian meringue is the hardest to make and the most time consuming; pouring the sugar syrup between the whip and the bowl takes more than just a beginner’s skill.
- Swiss meringue – the egg whites and sugar are heated together in a baine marie to 110 degrees, then whipped to full volume. Advantage: Like Italian meringue, Swiss meringue is silky and strong in texture. Unlike Italian meringue, Swiss meringue isn’t difficult to make at all. Disadvantage: There isn’t one. I use this meringue constantly.
Beautiful swans filled with chantilly cream are just one of many goodies to create with meringue.
As for marshmallow, the skill set simply requires that you understand the steps of using gelatin (blooming in cold liquid, then dissolving with heat) – and a very strong, steady hand for piping. Once the marshmallow comes together, it begins to set quickly – so get your piping bag ready! For ducks, I always have a little oil on hand, as well as oiled scissors, in case the beaks or tails need a little cutting adjustment after piping. For the class, this was definitely the hardest part. Piping skills and patience are a must for good-looking Peeps and swans. As I told this great group – practice makes perfect.
The day inspired me to make a coconut cake for Easter Sunday – I simply bake a butter layer cake, fill with lemon curd and ice with Swiss meringue.
My finished coconut cake for Easter: Who knew Ollie ate it?
I baked my layers early that morning, allowing them to cool before I put the cake together. I left the cooling layers on the island in my kitchen. When I came back from taking a shower, my dog, Ollie, had eaten half of one of the layers.
The evil culprit, Ollie.
Both my pets seem to have an inordinate fondness for destroying whatever it is in my kitchen I might be working on. My cat loves sweets and pastries and will literally eat through plastic or paper to get to a loaf of bread. Last Thanksgiving I left a pumpkin pie on the counter to cool the night before only to find that she had licked the top of it off by morning.
Ollie eats everything, apparently: foil-wrapped chocolates; boiled Easter eggs with the shell. There is no trace of a foul deed – just the acute absence of what was once there. And no, he never gets sick. And he never learns.
I spent late nights last week creating my daughter’s birthday cake, an annual affair that I never feel I have enough time to execute. This year I wanted to make gum paste flowers since she had given me the green light to create a “pretty” cake of my own idea (I say this because in years past she has asked for – and I have created – a giant squid cake, an aquarium cake with sharks – you get the idea). I wanted to show her how lovely a cake can really be with sugar paste flowers, butterflies – the works.
After it was completely finished the day of the party, I came back in the kitchen to find that Ollie had gobble the back half – butterflies and all. I won’t lie; I got really angry. Then I cut the back half of the cake off, covered it with a cake cover, and got ready for the party. Thank goodness my daughter wasn’t even fazed. So now, I have learned: No dogs or cats in the kitchen when I’m working. And never leave anything on the counter.
My daughter's finished cake - before the disaster.
Swiss Meringue
Hands on: 20 minutes Total time: 20 minutes Servings: 12
1/2 cup egg whites (from 4 large eggs)
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
Set up a double boiler, using the bowl of an electric mixer for the top and filling a saucepan 1/3 full with water. Bring the water to a boil, and reduce to a simmer.
Place the egg whites, sugar and cream of tartar in the bowl of the electric mixer, and place it over the simmering water, whisking constantly. Whisk until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is warm to the touch (110 degrees on an instant-read thermometer).
Remove the mixture from the heat and whip it on an electric mixer at high speed until stiff peaks form, about 4 minutes. Do not over whip. A flavoring can be added at this point, if desired.
My Cook's Warehouse sous chefs, Jennifer, James and Angela - they are amazing!
Marshmallow for Peeps
Hands on time: 20 minutes Total time: 3 hours and 20 minutes Serves: Makes 16 to 20 marshmallows, makes about 24 chicks
3 envelopes unflavored gelatin
1/2 cup cold water
2 cups granulated sugar
2/3 cup light corn syrup
1/4 cup water
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon vanilla extract (other flavorings, such as mint or lemon)
1/4 teaspoon food coloring
Confectioners’ sugar
Candy eyes, if making chicks
Instructions:
Prepare a 9-by-9-inch pan by lining it with oiled plastic wrap (an oiled silicon pan may be used without wrap).
In the bowl of an electric mixer, sprinkle the gelatin over 1/2 cup cold water. Allow the mixture to bloom for 10 minutes.
In a small saucepan, combine the sugar, corn syrup and 1/4 cup water. Bring to a rolling boil and continue boiling for 1 minute. Remove from heat and pour the boiling syrup into the gelatin mixture to dissolve, beating with a whip at high speed. Add the salt and beat for 12 minutes. Add vanilla and food coloring.
For the marshmallow chicks:
Scoop the marshmallow mixture into a pastry bag (fold the bag over your hand about 2 inches, then use a spatula to scoop the mixture into the bag). Before piping, "burp" the bag to remove any air bubbles. Lightly oil hands so that the mixture doesn't stick to your fingers. Using full force with your piping hand, pipe a fat disk onto the prepared parchment paper, releasing the force as you pull up and away. Use your opposite hand to "clip" the mixture from the tip (a little cone like tip should form, making a tail). Continue until about 24 chicks are formed, keeping your hand oiled throughout piping. Return to your first chick and pipe a head, using the same technique as in the previous step, only making a smaller disk. If necessary, use small oiled scissors to clip the beaks. Sprinkle the chicks with same-color sugar sprinkles. Finish each chick with a pair of eyes, using oiled tweezers to apply. Let chicks sit for at least 3 hours or overnight.
For marshmallows:
Lightly oil hands and spatula or bowl scraper and scrape the marshmallow mixture into the pan. Spread evenly with another piece of oiled plastic wrap, pressing mixture into the pan.
Let mixture sit for 3 hours. Remove from pan, dredge the marshmallow slab with confectioners’ sugar and cut into hearts or other equal pieces. Cookie cutters dredged with confectioners’ sugar work, or scissors. Dredge each piece of marshmallow in confectioners’ sugar, if desired.
Notes:
Total time for this recipe includes 3 hours of setting time.
My terrific class: (L-R) Terri, Shanna, Hayley, Piper, Tory and Mariane
Chantilly Cream (for filling meringue swans)
Hands-on time: 10 minutes, total time: 1o minutes, makes enough whipped cream to fill about 30 small swans
1 quart heavy whipping cream
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 tablespoon other flavoring, if desired
In a chilled bowl of an electric mixer using a whip attachment, whip the cream until it becomes slightly viscous. Add the sugar and flavoring in a stream as you continue to whip until firm peaks form. Do not over whip.
Meringue, dogs, marshmallow in Cook Like A Chef, Recipes, This Week on Willow Lane 
Reader Comments (6)
This post made me guffaw. My darling border collie, Karen, has an affinity for my meatloaf.
But how can you not adore Ollie's sweet smile?
HA!! Patti, you are - as always - a wonder! Ollie is too sweet to stay mad at for long!
Your cake looks so yummy! Love the design!
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