Anyone make Meringues?

[Sugar Free Sweet Pea]

I've seen those little meringue cookies, in the store. But, the ones in the store, have sugar. I thought that if they didn't have sugar, they'd probably be really low in carbs. Does anyone make these...and how do you make them?

[Zer]

Meringue is the base for a Pavlova and lots of LC folks are reveling in Pavlovas that are rolled or laid out flat - loaded with custard, whipped cream and fruit - so there must be a LC sweetener that works to sweeten frothy eggwhites. I'm not sure that a brittle meringue cookie can be made, but I know that Pavlova is built on a meringue base. Good googling to you, as you seek to find a recipe!

[Sugar Free Sweet Pea]

Originally Posted by Zer

Meringue is the base for a Pavlova and lots of LC folks are reveling in Pavlovas that are rolled or laid out flat - loaded with custard, whipped cream and fruit - so there must be a LC sweetener that works to sweeten frothy eggwhites. I'm not sure that a brittle meringue cookie can be made, but I know that Pavlova is built on a meringue base. Good googling to you, as you seek to find a recipe!

Oh my goodness, those look delicious. Thank you...I'll do lots of googling.

[retroworx]

Originally Posted by Melle

I've seen those little meringue cookies, in the store. But, the ones in the store, have sugar. I thought that if they didn't have sugar, they'd probably be really low in carbs. Does anyone make these...and how do you make them?

It won't be any surprise to you to learn that Linda Sue has tackled these. You can read about it here:

http://www.lowcarbfriends.com/bbs/lo...es-yellow.html

HTH,

-Retroworx

[LindaSue]

Originally Posted by retroworx

It won't be any surprise to you to learn that Linda Sue has tackled these.

And gave up in defeat. You'll need to use sugar alcohols to get anything close to real meringues.

[Sugar Free Sweet Pea]

Thanks, retroworx and LindaSue. I subscribed to that thread, so the info would be handy. I don't care if they turn out yellow. As long as they taste good.

LindaSue, I'm going to have to just spend an evening, reading your recipes...I bookmarked it.

[LindaSue]

I didn't think they tasted all that good either. They had a funny salty taste. The texture was all wrong too. They were sort of dusty and very fragile. Real meringues are kind of hard like a candy shell.

[Zer]

My sister makes hers with real sugar, letting them cook overnight in her oven, and they are brittle and fragile little dabs of white confection. What I wonder is if the sugar is essential to the chemistry of sturdy meringue. The Australians who are so big on making Pavlova with LC sweeteners admit that the meringue base is not firm, but it is such an awesome dessert that they love flaunting it as a LC-legal meal, full of protein of eggwhites and rich with an eggy custard and with mounds of cream. Just a few berries, as that's where the carbs are, right?

Without real sugar, it might be that firm meringue is not possible. But what is wrong with brittle? Small bites of fragile crunch that is slightly chewy before it dissolves? That could work. Anyone trying this with stevia as a sweetener? What if the dabs are sprinkled with Splenda as they go into the oven? Might that bring a bit of a sugar shell to this confection? Might. I'm no cook, but...

[Sugar Free Sweet Pea]

Originally Posted by LindaSue

I didn't think they tasted all that good either. They had a funny salty taste. The texture was all wrong too. They were sort of dusty and very fragile. Real meringues are kind of hard like a candy shell.

Well, I've got to say mine were kind of "dusty" tasting, also. The worst part was I put WAY too much Sugar Twin in them...horrible.

BUT, I did like the way they looked. I baked them on foil, on 300 for 25 minutes. Then, someone told me to turn off the oven and leave them in there for 20 minutes...once they just started turning brown on the edges.

SO, I decided to make another batch...only this time, I did not put ANY sweetener in it, and folded-in about a quarter cup of shredded cheddar cheese. I'm kind of hoping for Light Cheese Biscuits. We'll know, in about ten minutes. If they turn out, I'll take a picture.

[Sugar Free Sweet Pea]

Originally Posted by Melle

SO, I decided to make another batch...only this time, I did not put ANY sweetener in it, and folded-in about a quarter cup of shredded cheddar cheese. I'm kind of hoping for Light Cheese Biscuits. We'll know, in about ten minutes. If they turn out, I'll take a picture.

Here's the picture...this was all that was left, after I tasted one, and DH snagged a few of them. They are very good. Very flaky and light, at first...but, after they set out awhile, they got a little chewier, but still flaky on the edges.

[Zer]

You are folding shredded cheese into frothy eggwhites? Sure look good! Must taste good too, if your partner is snagging them so fast you barely get a shot to show to us. Are you approaching the Oopsie recipe that Cleochatra uses as a bun for drive-thru burgers? I'm not sure what the Oopsie recipe has in it, but your pic sure looks a lot like the Oopsie pix that folks display. For my money, savory beats the pants off sweet stuff. I am intrigued that you are making cheesy meringues. Try using some cayenne in a batch, will you, to see if it is a way to zing up the mouthwatering mouthfuls of cheesy flakiness. I'm curious.

[Sugar Free Sweet Pea]

Originally Posted by Zer

You are folding shredded cheese into frothy eggwhites? Sure look good! Must taste good too, if your partner is snagging them so fast you barely get a shot to show to us. Are you approaching the Oopsie recipe that Cleochatra uses as a bun for drive-thru burgers? I'm not sure what the Oopsie recipe has in it, but your pic sure looks a lot like the Oopsie pix that folks display. For my money, savory beats the pants off sweet stuff. I am intrigued that you are making cheesy meringues. Try using some cayenne in a batch, will you, to see if it is a way to zing up the mouthwatering mouthfuls of cheesy flakiness. I'm curious.

Yes...it was just 2 egg whites and a dash of salt and a dash of cream of tartar. I beat the whites until very stiff. Then, sprinkled about a quarter cup of shredded cheddar cheese...folded in with a rubber spatula. Then, I spooned them onto a foil covered pan...baked on 300 for about 25 minutes.

I didn't let them set in the "turned off oven", this time. As soon as they started browning on the edges, I took them out. They stuck to the foil, just a little...a spatula took care of that, though. I wish I had baker's paper. I need to get some, because this is going to be "a keeper".

I'm not a huge cheddar fan, so next time I think I'll use a 4-cheese blend, with a little bit of cheddar...but, not so much. DH does love cheddar, though. Actually, I thought of the oopsies, when I was mixing the egg whites. Cleo's Oopsies use softened cream cheese, which gives her rolls a little more consistancy, than these. I wouldn't make a sandwich out of these...they're way too flaky.

I'm planning on having pot roast, this week...with [COLOR="DarkSlateBlue"]Spinach Pie[/COLOR], and I think these little "biscuits" would be very good with that. Cayenne sounds wonderful. I also have one of those little "McCormick's Grinders" Red Pepper. I may just grind some red pepper on there...yum!

[Zer]

Even a dusting of cayenne on the hot cheese-its as you take them out of the oven might be a nice touch. Colorful and tasty too! Consider getting a silicon baking sheet, so there is no sticking at all. I got a silicon mini-muffin pan that might be interesting as far as shaping these tasty meringues. I've not yet used mine, but sure might do so - as your recipe makes my mouth water - a lot!

My favorite cheese is Asiago, a stinky hard cheese. I'd be using that, I think.

For someone who is still attracted to Cheetos, this recipe holds promise!!! If I made them, I'd call them Cheatos!

[Sugar Free Sweet Pea]

Originally Posted by Zer

Even a dusting of cayenne on the hot cheese-its as you take them out of the oven might be a nice touch. Colorful and tasty too! Consider getting a silicon baking sheet, so there is no sticking at all. I got a silicon mini-muffin pan that might be interesting as far as shaping these tasty meringues. I've not yet used mine, but sure might do so - as your recipe makes my mouth water - a lot!

My favorite cheese is Asiago, a stinky hard cheese. I'd be using that, I think.

For someone who is still attracted to Cheetos, this recipe holds promise!!! If I made them, I'd call them Cheatos!

OMG...That's what they remind me of! I couldn't think of it, but they have that slight crunch. They're a little flakier, but they ARE like a big round Cheeto (Cheato).

[Zer]

Originally Posted by Melle

OMG...That's what they remind me of! I couldn't think of it, but they have that slight crunch. They're a little flakier, but they ARE like a big round Cheeto (Cheato).

When you post that recipe, be sure to tag it with your name. Might as well benefit from the creative process you've put into this. Not too long ago I saw a thread asking if anyone had a LC recipe that was anything like the carby Cheetos that a lot of us are fond of. Maybe you have created a prize-winning staple for a lot of us former Cheeto-junkies.

Congrats, Melle! Next step is to let Cleo know so she can spread the word in her new LC column. She is out to educate the world to appreciate LC for real!

[Sugar Free Sweet Pea]

Originally Posted by Zer

When you post that recipe, be sure to tag it with your name. Might as well benefit from the creative process you've put into this. Not too long ago I saw a thread asking if anyone had a LC recipe that was anything like the carby Cheetos that a lot of us are fond of. Maybe you have created a prize-winning staple for a lot of us former Cheeto-junkies.

Congrats, Melle! Next step is to let Cleo know so she can spread the word in her new LC column. She is out to educate the world to appreciate LC for real!

Thank you, Zer. That makes me feel really good, because I'm very inexperienced, at this sort of thing. It feels good to have a recipe turn-out well.

[Zer]

Melle, what excites me about your Cheatos recipe is that it uses eggwhites and I am just now looking at eggwhite powder and eggwhites as a way of boosting my protein intake to a daily 182g (+/- 10%) without doing too much damage to my carbs. A whole egg carries more carbs than just the eggwhite, so I can see myself learning to cook just so I can make Melle's Cheatos as a protein heavy bonus for a LC plan. I'm no cook, but this is worth learning to cook!

Thanks for working on your meringue recipe. Sheer genius to toss cheese in!

The yolks? I think I'll make a nice hollandaise or bearnaise sauce, another tasty treat that I'd love to be able to whip up.

[hummingbird11]

OMG!!!!!!!!!! YUM!!!!!!!!!!! I U !!!!!!!!!



Thank you, Melle!!!!!!!!

[LindaSue]

It looks like you've come up with an interesting variation, Melle. Brilliant idea and avoids the sweetener issue. They do sound a bit like Oopsies minus the egg yolks.

[Zer]

No cream cheese either. Don't Oopsies have cream cheese in them?

Melle's Cheatos sure look to me like a great way to boost my protein grams while holding the line on carbs/calories. Yay!

[retroworx]

Melle:

My version of Revolution Rolls come out of the oven delicately flakey, much like a croissant, but then soften into bread consistency after sitting out a while or fridging overnight.

Have you had your cheese meringues around long enough to know whether they hold their flakey crispiness over time, or will I need to scarf them down straight out of the oven?

All hail the crunch

-Retroworx

[Zer]

I bet if these sit overnight in an oven (after oven is turned off from cooking), a major crunchiness will be the result. I can hardly wait to hear about this from whoever makes a batch and then resists eating the full batch all at once!

[Sugar Free Sweet Pea]

OK, folks. I'm going to work on perfecting the recipe, today. My ideas:

• Freeze the shredded cheese first, then "chop" for a second or two, in food processor.
• Put the mixture into a pastry bag, and "pipe" short little lines of "cheeto looking" pieces onto the cookie sheet.
• Try to figure out how to keep them crispy.

I left the first batch (the ones that were horribly sweet), in the turned-off oven, for another thirty minutes, or so. Even though I threw them away (wish I hadn't, now), I believe they would have never turned chewy...there was no moisture in them. So, I think I'll try the same thing, with these.

I've got the cheese in the freezer, now. IF this batch turns out the way I think it will, I'll post a new recipe...Melle's Cheatos...and post pictures.

NOTE: I had two "biscuits" left-over, from last night. They were just on a saucer, on the counter all night. It rained early this morning, and it's humid in the house...so, they absorbed quite a bit of moisture. When I checked them just now, they were still kind of crunchy...kind of the consistancy of "stale cheetos". So, I'm thinking if they were completely cooled, they would be fine, in a tightly closed ziploc...just like a potato chip bag. We'll see!

[Zer]

Melle, when you get temp and time and all that, even ~I~ might try to beat a bucket of eggwhites into stiff peaks. Going to make mine a loopy shape, I think. Maybe just dots.

Got to buy myself some nonstick baking sheets. If this recipe really makes acceptable Cheatos, I'm in hog heaven!!!

Imagine eating my weight in a cheesy snack that is almost all pure protein with some fatty cheese to bring it to LC perfection! Cheddar, Asago and Bleu too?

Maybe a dusting of cayenne? Maybe some garlic or onion powder?

What about using Mrs.Dash seasoning mixes? OMG, I'm hyperventilating!

[Sugar Free Sweet Pea]

Originally Posted by Zer

Melle, when you get temp and time and all that, even ~I~ might try to beat a bucket of eggwhites into stiff peaks. Got to buy myself some nonstick baking sheets. If this recipe really makes acceptable Cheatos, I'm in hog heaven!!!

Imagine eating my weight in a cheesy snack that is almost all pure protein with some fatty cheese to bring it to LC perfection! Cheddar, Asago and Bleu too?

Maybe a dusting of cayenne? Maybe some garlic or onion powder?

What about using Mrs.Dash seasoning mixes? OMG, I'm hyperventilating!

Zer, I have never cooked (to speak of), my entire life. I married a Chef...he does the cooking. The past 30-days or so, I've read so many good recipes on this board, that I had to try some of the recipes.

Example of how bad a cook I am: I drug out the food processor a couple of weeks ago. I went to DH and said, "The stuff is going round and round, but it's not doing anything...just going round and round". He came in and looked, and just said in a non-insulting voice, "You have to put the blade in it". I said, "Dont you EVER tell anyone about this"...that's when he finally laughed. :blush:

If I can do it, you can do it!

[Zer]

Originally Posted by Melle

Example of how bad a cook I am: I drug out the food processor a couple of weeks ago.

I went to DH and said, "The stuff is going round and round,
but it's not doing anything...just going round and round".

He came in and looked, and just
said in a non-insulting voice,
"You have to put the blade in it".

I said, "Dont you EVER tell anyone about this"

...that's when he finally laughed. :blush:

If I can do it, you can do it!

What a great guy he is. Lucky you!

[Grace]

I'm soooo into thinking about this "cheato" thing...what if you sprinkled some of the cheese powder that comes in Kraft Macaroni and Cheese over the egg whites and maybe some cream of tartar while beating? Wouldn't that really come close to a Cheeto? I don't have a box here so I can't look to see what the ingredients are. It may be that there's a lot of sugar or starch or something that would negate doing this. I recall that there used to be some bright yellow Cheeto colored powdered cheese sold to flavor popcorn, etc. Maybe I'll check that out also. What do ya'll think?

[Sugar Free Sweet Pea]

Originally Posted by Grace

I'm soooo into thinking about this "cheato" thing...what if you sprinkled some of the cheese powder that comes in Kraft Macaroni and Cheese over the egg whites and maybe some cream of tartar while beating? Wouldn't that really come close to a Cheeto? I don't have a box here so I can't look to see what the ingredients are. It may be that there's a lot of sugar or starch or something that would negate doing this. I recall that there used to be some bright yellow Cheeto colored powdered cheese sold to flavor popcorn, etc. Maybe I'll check that out also. What do ya'll think?

OH MY! What a great idea, about the powdered cheese. I may have to run to the store and buy a box of M & C.
If you can look at the ingredients on the box, I would imagine everything except macaroni, is in the cheese.

I put 1/8 tsp of cream of tartar in the egg whites, before I beat them.

[LindaSue]

Originally Posted by Zer

No cream cheese either. Don't Oopsies have cream cheese in them?

I figured you subbed the cream cheese with cheddar cheese, or whatever kind you used, so I didn't mention it.

[hummingbird11]

Ditto!! My hubby is not a chef, but he's a great cook and basically did ALL of the cooking till we went LC 2 months ago ~ I am having so much fun learning, too! Melle, he had to reach me how to use the giant FP too!

I cannot WAIT to see how you all fine-tune this brilliant Cheat-O(opsie)

XO,
HB

Originally Posted by Melle

Zer, I have never cooked (to speak of), my entire life. I married a Chef...he does the cooking. The past 30-days or so, I've read so many good recipes on this board, that I had to try some of the recipes.

Example of how bad a cook I am: I drug out the food processor a couple of weeks ago. I went to DH and said, "The stuff is going round and round, but it's not doing anything...just going round and round". He came in and looked, and just said in a non-insulting voice, "You have to put the blade in it". I said, "Dont you EVER tell anyone about this"...that's when he finally laughed. :blush:

If I can do it, you can do it!