Tamil style - Macaroons - Getting a flat biscuit instead of beautifully shaped cone

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k.udhaya

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Hi,
I am trying to make the Tamil styled Macaroons as shown in the video here:

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SfweNFfWf9Q

[Pl. enable english subtitle, the original video is in Tamil]

Up to 3:06 (which is essentially beating egg white + sugar to form a stiff mix), I am perfectly successful. But once I start adding crushed cashew, the mix loses its stiffness. When I press it via zip-lock pouch, it spreads more like biscuit than staying as a cone. Any tip you can help with pl.?

[I have no complaints about the taste, it's extraordinary. But the shape is definitely a spoiler.]
 
You have to be VERY gentle when folding something into egg whites and working with them or they deflate. I would imagine they are being treated too roughly at some point.

I assume you are piping them right away? If not, they are deflating because they are being allowed to sit.

Meringue will exude liquid if allowed to sit and also if the sugar/egg white ratio is off. If you try to stir the liquid back in, the meringue will deflate.

I didn't watch the whole video but you need to make sure you are using the same size eggs as she does. If she is using a weight measurement, you might try placing the egg whites in a very fine mesh strainer and allowing the watery part of the egg white to drain off. Doesn't take but a few seconds, just in the strainer and jiggle a couple of times, then in bowl. Eggs have different water contents but it usually doesn't make a difference.
 
medtran49 said:
You have to be VERY gentle when folding something into egg whites and working with them or they deflate. I would imagine they are being treated too roughly at some point.

I assume you are piping them right away? If not, they are deflating because they are being allowed to sit.

Meringue will exude liquid if allowed to sit and also if the sugar/egg white ratio is off. If you try to stir the liquid back in, the meringue will deflate.

I didn't watch the whole video but you need to make sure you are using the same size eggs as she does. If she is using a weight measurement, you might try placing the egg whites in a very fine mesh strainer and allowing the watery part of the egg white to drain off. Doesn't take but a few seconds, just in the strainer and jiggle a couple of times, then in bowl. Eggs have different water contents but it usually doesn't make a difference.
Click to expand...
Thanks. In fact this is the 3rd time I'm trying the same recipe and I have been progressively very gentle on folding the egg white. However the difference is only subtle.
To have a stiffer mix even after folding, should the mix have more sugar or less?
 
Frizz1974 said:
One tip for folding anything into egg white is to use 1/3 of your stiff egg white mix to fold your add ins then add another third, mix gently then the final third. This means the last 3rd gets much less disturbance and best chance of keeping in all that air you worked hard for at the start.
Click to expand...
Thank you, let me try this next time.
 
What type of sugar are you using?
Meringue is best made with icing sugar which can also be known as powdered sugar or confectioners sugar. It is a fine powder just like flour (but made from sugar), not crystals. It does affect the end result.

I'll also ditto Frizz1974 's comment regarding the folding in. I was taught something close to what she describes, just with varying proportions (I was taught 50/50 proportion, but it shouldn't make much difference).

Finally, how are you chopping your cashew nuts? Are they all the same small size or are some pieces larger?

(I'm not able to watch the video, I'm on a data restricted satellite broadband connection, so video recipes are a no go for me. Too much data used this month already :( such is life living rurally in Australia. )
 
SatNavSaysStraightOn said:
What type of sugar are you using?
Meringue is best made with icing sugar which can also be known as powdered sugar or confectioners sugar. It is a fine powder just like flour (but made from sugar), not crystals. It does affect the end result.

I'll also ditto Frizz1974 's comment regarding the folding in. I was taught something close to what she describes, just with varying proportions (I was taught 50/50 proportion, but it shouldn't make much difference).

Finally, how are you chopping your cashew nuts? Are they all the same small size or are some pieces larger?

(I'm not able to watch the video, I'm on a data restricted satellite broadband connection, so video recipes are a no go for me. Too much data used this month already :( such is life living rurally in Australia. )
Click to expand...
Thanks for your comment.
1. Type of sugar - Honestly I have no idea what type it is. I just buy it from the super market at general kitchen section. I use the same sugar for any other dessert I make and I hadn't come across any issue with this.
2. Cashew nuts size - I use a mixer grinder (something like a blender?) to chop them... They are almost of same size varying from 2 mm to 4 mm.
 
k.udhaya said:
Thanks for your comment.
1. Type of sugar - Honestly I have no idea what type it is. I just buy it from the super market at general kitchen section. I use the same sugar for any other dessert I make and I hadn't come across any issue with this.
Click to expand...
From experience the type of sugar being used greatly affects the outcome. You might want to look into this. For a meringue, I don't use the same sugar as other desserts but use powdered sugar, not granulated or soft or anything in crystal form. Sugar was absorb a lot of water (from the air) which will also affect the meringue as well.

It could be worth trying to make them without the cashew nuts as a test because if they flatten and don't hold shape without the nuts, you're basic recipe needs to be looked at.

And a lot of meringue recipes add cornflour (others known as cornstarch which is white, not yellow) to stabilise the meringue. Just ½ tbsp or 1 tbsp but it does help to stabilise the meringue. Again something worth thinking about.

Finally, are you thoroughly cleaning the equipment used? After washing everything and drying it, everything is usually rinsed in white vinegar to remove all hidden fats from bowel and whisk. And a touch of white vinegar is often put into a meringue mixture as well.

This (Recipe - SatNav's Pavlova) is my pavlova recipe and instructions. It may give you an idea or two.
 
SatNavSaysStraightOn said:
From experience the type of sugar being used greatly affects the outcome. You might want to look into this. For a meringue, I don't use the same sugar as other desserts but use powdered sugar, not granulated or soft or anything in crystal form. Sugar was absorb a lot of water (from the air) which will also affect the meringue as well.

It could be worth trying to make them without the cashew nuts as a test because if they flatten and don't hold shape without the nuts, you're basic recipe needs to be looked at.

And a lot of meringue recipes add cornflour (others known as cornstarch which is white, not yellow) to stabilise the meringue. Just ½ tbsp or 1 tbsp but it does help to stabilise the meringue. Again something worth thinking about.

Finally, are you thoroughly cleaning the equipment used? After washing everything and drying it, everything is usually rinsed in white vinegar to remove all hidden fats from bowel and whisk. And a touch of white vinegar is often put into a meringue mixture as well.

This (Recipe - SatNav's Pavlova) is my pavlova recipe and instructions. It may give you an idea or two.
Click to expand...
Thanks. I will try the sungar magic and vinegar magic to give you a feedback :)
 
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