Pets – Hints and Tips

Take your egg whites from the freezer and fridge. On the day you're planning to create take them out of the fridge and to allow to reach room temperature. Here's the science bit – egg whites that have been frozen are better for meringues because the albumen has broken down.

Meringues cook differently depending on the oven used. An electric/fan oven gives dry heat and so cooks and dries out more quickly. A gas oven gives moist heat and so you'll need to cook the meringues longer.

I always use a glass mixing bowl when making meringues and although I think my bowl is squeaky clean I do agree with the lemon juice “wipe” mentioned.

This is hardly a complicated recipe but, if you're feeling inclined but not likely to have a go cos it's too much work – do your “mise en place” (weighing out) ahead – whenever you've five minutes.

Don't forget to “glue” your baking parchment with a blob of meringue in each corner – you'll be very pleased you did and your parchment won't be carried off by a sudden gust of wind and leave you – shall we say “cross”.

If you want to dry out your meringues so that they'll last longer and you're fortunate enough to have an Aga the warming oven is perfect. Not so posh – an airing cupboard is another perfect location for drying out meringues and for proving bread too. So much so that when we changed our system and the hot water tanks were removed from the airing cupboard I had a small radiator fitted and hey presto – my own kitchen extension!

Could I just point out – not wishing to be a spoilsport – that the pets may be fat free but they are definitely not sugar free.

I'm sorry we're coming to the end of the road testing – only one more pick to go - we'll just have to find another book to explore!