Summer is a great time to acquire some habits that have been deemed extracurricular, habits that I believe are not supplementary at all, but a vital part of learning.
Making recipes with your children provides them the opportunity to learn basic cooking skills that will serve them the rest of their life and is a perfect time to show them some science.
Home Economics is my passion, so here goes…
To begin, choose a recipe that is simple and delicious. Next, decide what specific science topic the recipe will allow you will explore.
Soooo, let’s make some Sparkling Sugar Kisses! These yummy meringue cookies are easy and fat free. This recipe below is from the King Arthur Flour Cookie Companion.
Making meringues is the perfect gateway for a little lesson about eggs.
Eggs are composed of the shell, which holds the egg inside. Shells are produced in a range of amazing colors because they come from different breeds. While it is terrific fun to explore shell color, any color will do when it comes to making meringue.
Just inside the shell is the membrane.
When you crack open the egg you will see the yellow yolk sitting inside the albumen.
Out of the shell, fresh eggs stand up taller and firmer on the plate. The white should be thick and stand up around the yolk. The yolk should be firm and high. A less fresh egg will be runny and flat.
The chalaza, it’s the white cord that holds the egg in place inside the shell. There is an air cell between the shell and the membrane that grows larger with age.
Eggs are evaluated by passing them over bright lights where the interior quality can be seen. Grade AA eggs have a firm white and a thick round yolk and perfect shells. Grade A has “reasonably” firm whites and perfect shells. Grade B has thinner whites and some stains on the shells.
Now to the subject of sizing eggs. The size does not refer to the dimensions of an egg or how big it looks. Size tells you the minimum required net weight per dozen eggs. So Jumbo eggs have 30 oz. per dozen, ranging all the way down to Peewee eggs which have 15 oz. per dozen. Most standard recipes call for AA large.
The best thing about eggs is that they are high in protein, vitamins, and minerals.
Now on to the making….
To make a proper meringue you have to do a few things to ensure success.
Always begin with room temperature eggs because when you whip them more air can be incorporated so the volume will be bigger. To warm them fast just place the eggs in a bowl of warm water for a few minutes.
Make sure the mixing bowl and whisk you will use to whip the whites are clean. Wash them in warm soapy water to degrease. Fat will coat the ends of the egg white’s protein, which greatly diminishes the whites ability to hold air.
Now you are ready to separate the whites from the yolks. Strain them through clean fingers! Most recipes for meringue call for a little salt and cream of tarter to help the molecules of whites hold onto water and air molecules—chemistry in action!
To beat the whites, use an electric mixer or whisk them by hand. Either way the whites go through several stages.
The first stage is a puddle of clear liquid. As you begin to beat, a puddle with foamy air bubbles will emerge. Eventually the whisk begins to leave tracks in the bowl. To test which stage your whites are in simply lift up the beater out of the foam. If a point forms and falls over immediately, you’re looking at soft peak. From here 15 to 20 more strokes will bring you to medium peak, and another 15 to 20 strokes to stiff peaks. Be careful, don’t over beat the meringue because liquid will begin to separate out from the foam and you’ll end up with grainy, lumpy looking whites.
Meringue calls for super fine sugar because it makes a less grainy meringue. To make your own super fine sugar simply give it a good spin in the food processor and the crystals will get super finer!
Make sure not to add the sugar too soon in the beating process. Start adding gradually somewhere between soft and medium peaks.
By the way, this recipe calls for vanilla, but I flavored mine with peppermint extract. You can even crush peppermints to add to the batter. Be creative!
– Sara
Sparkling Sugar Kisses
Yield 2 dozen // Baking temp 250F
• 2 large egg whites
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon cream of tarter
• ½ cup (31/2oz) sugar, superfine preferred
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, or the extract of your choice
• Coarse sugar
Preheat the oven to 250F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment.
In a large, very clean, nonplastic bowl. Beat the egg whites until they’re foamy, then add the salt and cream of tarter. Add the sugar gradually, continuing to beat until the meringue is thick and glossy, and forms stiff peaks. Beat in the vanilla at the end.
Drop meringue by the tablespoon onto the prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle each with coarse (or colored) sugar. Bake for 1 hour, then turn off the oven and let the kisses cool in the unopened oven (don’t peek!) for 11/2 to 2 hours, or until they’re dry and crisp all the way through. Remove them from the oven and store in an airtight container.
It you use a tablespoon cookie scoop, don’t heap it; level it off; to obtain the correct size and number of cookies. For fancy meringues, pipe them onto a sheet using a pastry bag and the tip of your choice.
Variations: Stir in ½ to ¾ cup mini-morsel chocolate chips after the vanilla.
