How Long Do Meringues Last (And Why)?

Exact Answer: 2 weeks

Meringues are delightful sweets that are linked with Switzerland, France, and Italy culture. They’re a delicious way to end a dinner, and they’re made with a deceptively basic base of sugar and beaten egg whites, with a splash of vinegar, lime, or sour cream thrown in for good measure.

Meringues are used as the base for a variety of sweets such as pies, macaroons, and others. They may, however, be eaten as cookies and used as decoration. And if you want to preserve them nice and fresh without crushing them, you have two options: store them in room-temperature containers for the short term or freeze them for long-term preservation.

How Long Do Meringues Last?

Meringues may be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for up to two weeks if kept at room temperature. If the dessert is stored in the freezer, it may be kept for months. Because the egg whites are cooked, Italian meringue can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Since egg whites are blended with sugar and baked, it can be difficult to keep meringue crispy and with the correct degree of crunch. To personalize and add various tastes, several twists are made. Sugar and egg yolk are both hydrophilic. This implies that they absorb moisture-containing air quickly. As a result, they become squishy and soggy. As a result, it is critical that you carefully preserve meringues as soon as possible.

Meringues can spoil if not stored correctly. Check the appearance of your Meringues if you are unsure how long they have been stored. The best method is to smell and examine the lemon meringue pie: eliminate those that have an odd smell or appearance; if mold emerges, toss the lemon meringue pie.

Many recipes that do not use cooked eggs or separated yolks or whites include salmonella germs, which cause salmonellosis. Consuming them always poses the risk of Salmonella poisoning. To destroy salmonella, eggs must be pasteurized or cooked to 160 degrees Fahrenheit. Meringues purchased from cafes and grocery shops have been cooked, baked, or pasteurized and pose no risk.

Why Do Meringues Last For So Long?

Meringues combine sugar with egg white to produce a variety of foams that are more stable and airy than those created only with egg whites. Sugar is important in Meringues because it raises the viscosity of the watery phase. The sugar makes it more difficult for air bubbles to join and escape by increasing the viscosity of the water phase.

As a reason, an egg white froth containing a significant amount of sugar (a mere sprinkle would not be enough) will take far longer to collapse than one containing no sugar.

Refrigeration causes meringue to weep faster, so let the pie sit at room temperature in a draft-free area before serving. However, it will need to be refrigerated after a few hours. The meringue will be more solid and less prone to weep if it is baked before being placed to the pie.

Meringues are soft and have a volatile texture, therefore they don’t need special storage. You may store them in an airtight jar or simply leave them at room temperature for about 2 weeks. Of course, this is only true if there is no moisture built in the jar. The simplest way to accomplish this is to use a mason jar rather than a ceramics one.

The best room temperature for keeping meringues is 73°F or 23°C. Another alternative is to put them in a freezer. This is the greatest way to keep meringues. To do it correctly, allow the goodies to cool to room temperature first. Once completed, place them in an airtight container, ideally in a single layer, and place them in the freezer.

Conclusion

Meringues are among the greatest sweets to buy when you have a sweet tooth. They are sweet, fluffy, and cozy. If you don’t finish your dessert in one sitting, you may keep your favorite meringue in a variety of ways.

Meringues should be stored at room temperature. Meringues can be stored in an airtight container in a cold, dry area for up to two weeks if stored in an airtight container. If you don’t plan on utilizing meringues for a long, freezing is the best solution. Meringues may be stored in the freezer for months.

References

1. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00217-017-2943-x
2. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0260877411004663