I'm hooked on the (relatively new and critically
acclaimed) HBO show Girls.
The younger-me identifies with the show's main character who lives a
post-college life in New York City and grapples with life's ebbs and
flows, self-doubt, job insecurity and budget crunching. And while the show
takes me down memory lane just a bit, as I watch it I find myself being
thankful that I am, in fact, a little bit older. I occasionally grumble about
moving out of the 25-34 age demographic, but I wouldn't want to go back (not
that you can anyway). I like this station of life.
I've thought long and hard about my politics and core beliefs. I've
considered (at great lengths) what's important to me and what really isn't
a priority anymore. I've re-evaluated and re-assessed. Emotional stability and
self-confidence, which eluded me somewhat in my twenties, I've been able to
find in my mid-(ahem, late) thirties.
I'll admit that every now and again I'm stuck by the desire to
hunt down some one from my past and shout out, "Hey, remember me? I'm
not a mess anymore! I've got it together! I'm an adult!" But those moments
are few and far between, as I'm not looking for anyone's validation in the way
that I might have been a decade ago. That's the benefit of age.
Which brings me to my birthday meringues...
I first tasted these Pistachio-Rosewater Meringues at a dinner
party a few years ago. My friend Yana had us over for an
Ottolenghi-Middle-Eastern-inspired feast. The meal was spectacular and it was
capped off by these little beauties: sweet, light, delicate and delicious,
meringues.
I'd always wanted to make them at home, but I didn't know the
first thing about baking. And I was certain that I would mess them up if I even
tried. So I never did.
But several years have passed and I'm a bit older and a bit
wiser. I'm also fairly confident in the kitchen. When I saw rosewater
at my local market, I decided to pick up a bottle. I
knew then and there that those
meringues were getting made in the not-so-distant future.
I made them last night and they came out perfectly. I also
discovered that while they might appear challenging to make, the ingredients
are simple and the preparation is straight-forward.
My take-way from the meringue success, and using it as a
metaphor for the next year of my life, is this: Have the confidence to try new
things and don't let prospect of failure stop
you in your tracks. You've got it together. You know who are. That is the gift
of age. Enjoy it and happy birthday (to me).
The sugar began to caramelize pretty quickly, so I had to start
again. I've since learned from a CCN
contributor that Denverites (or those cooking at altitude) should use a
thermometer and heat the oven 10 degrees lower than the suggested temperature,
as Denver's boiling temperature is 10 degrees lower than what you'll find at
sea level.
Pistachio-Rosewater Meringues
Inspiration and combination from Yotam Ottolenghi's eponymous
cookbook, Ottolenghi.
With some adaptions from the Joy of Baking and the Guardian UK.
See additional links below.
Yields 12-16
Ingredients
1 cup of granulated sugar (I used white, not
caster)
4 egg whites (Cold eggs are easier to
separate. Once they are separated, cover the egg whites and let them come
to room temperature before using, about 30 minutes.)
*In general, the ratio for meringues is 1/4 cup of sugar/per egg
white.
1 1/4 teaspoons of rosewater or orange blossom
water
A big handful of pistachio nuts, finely chopped
(about 1/4 cup)
Preparation
1. Preheat the oven to 400F. Spread the sugar
evenly over a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Put the tray in the oven
for 8 minutes or until the sugar is hot and starting to dissolve at edges, but
not caramelized. (See photo note above if you live in Denver.)
2. While the sugar is in oven, put the egg whites
in bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk. When sugar is almost ready,
turn mixer on high and let it work for a minute or until the egg whites start
to froth.
3. Carefully pour the sugar into the whisked
whites (I used the parchment paper as a funnel and poured the sugar in that
way). Add the rosewater (or orange blossom water) and continue whisking on high
for 10 minutes or until the meringue is beautifully smooth, and holds a shape.
4. Reduce the oven temperature to 225F** Important
step.
5. Line a baking tray or two with parchment paper
(the one you just used for the sugar is fine). And spread the pistachios on a
board and finely chop them.
6. Get two big kitchen spoons.
Use one spoon to scoop up a big ball of the meringue, and use the other spoon
to scrape it off and gently roll the ball into the pistachios. Place the meringues nuts-up on the baking tray. Repeat this
step.
7. Place the meringues in the oven and bake for 2
hours. Rotate the baking sheet every 1/2 hour. Check to see if they're done.
They should be dry on the outside and soft on the inside.
Store the meringues in a dry place at room
temperature.
Note: Some recipes suggest that you leave the meringues in the oven
for another 4 hours--with the temperature off (this is after the initial 2
hours of baking is complete). I didn't do this (I baked them for 2 hours at
225F) and I thought the texture was spot-on.
I came across this Guardian
link on "How to Make
Perfect Meringues" which offers up some more guidance on all
things meringue.
The Daily Dish/LA Times weighs in
on the subject.
And some notes from The Joy
of Baking (though I didn't
use cream of tartar):
There are a few things to keep in mind when making meringue
cookies. The standard ratio when making hard meringues is 1/4 cup (50 grams) of
granulated white sugar for every egg white. This amount of sugar is needed to
give the meringue its crispness. Adding the sugar gradually to the egg whites
ensures that the sugar completely dissolves and does not produce a gritty
meringue. Cream of tartar is used in the whipping of egg whites to stabilize
them and allows them to reach maximum volume. Also, it is a good idea to use
parchment paper or aluminum foil to line your baking sheets, not wax paper, as
the meringue will sometimes stick to wax paper.
Baking the meringues in a slow
oven allows for gradual evaporation of the moisture from the meringues. If the
oven temperature is too high, the outside of the meringue will dry and set too
quickly. You will also notice that the outside of the meringue separates from
the inside. Another indicator that your oven is too high is when the meringue
starts to brown which causes the sugar to caramelize. If this happens, lower
the temperature about 25 degrees F. If you decide to make meringues on a rainy
or humid day, you will probably have to bake the meringues longer (could be up
to 30 minutes more) than on a dry day. Lastly, to prevent cracking of the
meringues, do not open the oven door during the first half of the baking time.