Christmas cake faux pas

[PatsyMFagan Profile]

Ideally I would like to make a meringue that could go into Eton mess type things, or shells that could be sandwiched together with cream. J loves pavlova but he wont be getting one unless it's from Asda! The eggs are really fresh, one or two days old and the mixture seems right, its glossy and has peaks. But they never cook in the middle, they are all too wet. I have followed delia, nigella, Mary and nadia recipes, watched you tube and changed oven temperatures, but the result is always a bin job. The whole thing looks good but underneath the crisp exterior the middle isn't chewy its wet. My oven manual says 90-100C for 90-120mins, it fibs.

I thought that it was best to use 'old' egg white for meringue. Have you tried leaving them a few more days ? Do you leave the meringue in the oven while it cools down ? Apologies if this had already been tried

[oat Profile]

I have left them in the oven, switched off, overnight still not done.
I have always used really fresh eggs because i thought that was right but.......i might have a go with week old ones. Nothing ventured .......

Thanks Patsy

[Hickybank Profile]

I have left them in the oven, switched off, overnight still not done.
I have always used really fresh eggs because i thought that was right but.......i might have a go with week old ones. Nothing ventured .......

Thanks Patsy

Agree with Patsy old egg make the best meringues

[jeral Profile]

...[clip]...
The fruit is hitting the booze tonight.

So, you're enabling a load of old soaks then? You is

[Badger's Mate Profile]

They're fine until they start singing.

[jeral Profile]

♪ For he's a jolly good fellow ♪

[ZeroCook Profile]

Ideally I would like to make a meringue that could go into Eton mess type things, or shells that could be sandwiched together with cream. J loves pavlova but he wont be getting one unless it's from Asda! The eggs are really fresh, one or two days old and the mixture seems right, its glossy and has peaks. But they never cook in the middle, they are all too wet. I have followed delia, nigella, Mary and nadia recipes, watched you tube and changed oven temperatures, but the result is always a bin job. The whole thing looks good but underneath the crisp exterior the middle isn't chewy its wet. My oven manual says 90-100C for 90-120mins, it fibs.

J shouldn't be eating sweet things anyway

Try at 65 degrees overnight.

[ZeroCook Profile]

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Hickybank - after the fact but. Ovens often run hotter - like mine - or cooler than the temperature setting. I have an oven thermometer.

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[Hickybank Profile]

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Hickybank - after the fact but. Ovens often run hotter - like mine - or cooler than the temperature setting. I have an oven thermometer.

.

I have a couple but never thought to use them, just one of those days, I should have concentrated more.

[Hickybank Profile]

Ideally I would like to make a meringue that could go into Eton mess type things, or shells that could be sandwiched together with cream. J loves pavlova but he wont be getting one unless it's from Asda! The eggs are really fresh, one or two days old and the mixture seems right, its glossy and has peaks. But they never cook in the middle, they are all too wet. I have followed delia, nigella, Mary and nadia recipes, watched you tube and changed oven temperatures, but the result is always a bin job. The whole thing looks good but underneath the crisp exterior the middle isn't chewy its wet. My oven manual says 90-100C for 90-120mins, it fibs.

J shouldn't be eating sweet things anyway

Try at 65 degrees overnight.

Also warm egg whites, not straight put the fridge, also don't over whip, soft peaks only.

[herbidacious Profile]

I need to read all this through sio apologies if this has been asked... I am going to use the Delia recipe too. It says spreadable butter in the online version. Have people used this? I was a bit surprised by this inclusion.

[WolfGirl Profile]

Herbi, I baked my cake yesterday. I was surprised by the spreadable butter too but I did use it and it seems ok though obviously haven’t cut into it yet!

The addition of baking parchment over the top whilst baking seemed to make a big difference to the top of the cake. In previous years the outside of the cake has felt quite hard but this time it has a softer feel.

[Earthmaiden Profile]

I've used spreadable margarine such as Flora but not spreadable butter. Does she mean that or just softened butter? I used to find that I needed slightly less Flora than solid butter or marg, I assumed because of the water content but I'd have thought softened butter would work. I wonder what others think,

[herbidacious Profile]

I bought both just in case, but surely proper butter is better (But maybe not. Will look up her original recipe. Must have it in a book somewhere. I wasn't very online last time I made it.)

[WolfGirl Profile]

I think butter will definitely give a richer flavour than margarine. I followed the recipe to the letter apart from soaking the fruit, that was for four days in amaretto, and I added a bit more mixed spice as I like to be able to taste it.

[oat Profile]

The book says 8oz (225g) unsalted butter.

[herbidacious Profile]

Right, finally had time to read all of this thread through.

I just nipped upstairs to print out the recipe as it will take a major search to find the book(s), especially as OH is sitting on a settee in front of the shelves. I noticed she has a 'traditional' CC recipe as well as a Classic one online. The former uses butter and has different proportions of fruit in it. The traditional one has less flour, uses self-raising and proper butter (and more of it), different spices and more booze.

Looking at Eat Your Books there is yet another recipe in the Complete Cookery Course which must be the one I made last time (c.1999 ) And I think the traditional one online is a bit different from the one in her Book of Cakes, as is the Classic one from that which is in 'Happy Christmas'!

What a minefield. Or not... Just stick with the book version of the Classic perhaps.

I have both a fan assisted and 'ordinary' gas oven. Not sure I trust the temperature of the ordinary one. I do have an oven theromemeter and I seem to remember the ordinary oven (which I don't use that much any more) is hit and miss.

I need to buy an orange.

[karadekoolaid Profile]

RE. "spreadable butter".
My thoughts with ingredients like that are: "if in doubt, use the best available".
So use REAL unsalted butter because it will taste infinitely better than something which has evidently had chemical additions to make it "spreadable". You will not regret it.

[Suelle Profile Website]

RE. "spreadable butter".
My thoughts with ingredients like that are: "if in doubt, use the best available".
So use REAL unsalted butter because it will taste infinitely better than something which has evidently had chemical additions to make it "spreadable". You will not regret it.

Spreadable butter is not made spreadable with chemicals - it has oil, cream or buttermilk added and may be whipped to add in air which, as with soft ice cream, helps make it spreadable.

If someone has developed a recipe which uses spreadable butter (rather than softened) then they have factored into account that spreadable butter is slightly lower in fat content and higher in moisture.

I imagine Delia has done this in response to people who don't like using what we used to call margarine - unsaturated vegetable fats and oils which are soft at fridge temperature, and may have been treated with chemicals to make them more solid.

[herbidacious Profile]

I am going to use the version from the book which specifies butter. (Goodness me, it turns out that Delia was holding up the bottom shelf. What a palava! I hope it doesn't collapse and I did just get away with a ripped book jacket...)

Flicking through the book almost makes me wish I was doing a proper Christmas dinner with guests. Almost...