Meringue: composition, calorie content, nutritional value, beneficial properties, harm. Recipe for making meringue at home. Benefits and calorie content of meringue: how many calories does cake and meringue cake have? Meringue cake: benefits and harms
Which is a fluffy, melt-in-your-mouth cake that is quite significant. This wonderful delicacy is loved by both adults and children. Its main ingredient is egg whites. Meringue cake, the calorie content of which we will consider in our article, is very popular.
The energy value of sweets may be of interest to everyone who cares about a healthy lifestyle and who wants to strive for perfection. This question is also asked by parents of children with a sweet tooth - it is important for them to know how many calories are in meringue, because the health of their children depends on it. Our article will try to answer some questions. For example, is it true that the calorie content of meringue is relatively low, as many people say?Meringue cake: dietary properties and benefits
First, let's look at the beneficial properties of this product before we move on to its energy value. It should immediately be noted that the composition of this dessert differs, in addition to the large amount of carbohydrates, in its high content of vitamins, for example, vitamins PP and B. Vitamin PP (niacin) is involved in the processes of converting eaten food into energy, normalizes the functions of the pancreas and intestines. Moreover, thanks to the impressive amount of minerals it contains, meringue has a beneficial effect on metabolic processes and the body as a whole.
Calorie content of meringue
Despite the fact that the cake has an “airy” consistency and a small number of ingredients that it contains, the nutritional value of this dessert is not so small. To be more specific, the calorie content of meringue is 235 kcal per 100 grams of product. Meringues are often used as a component for complex desserts, pastries and pies. The organoleptic and taste qualities inherent in meringue cake allow it to be combined with various creams, whipped cream, curd mass, fruit and chocolate. So, for example, to connect two cakes together, they use butter cream; in this case, the calorie content of the dessert will increase greatly, and will no longer be 230, but 430 kcal per 100 grams of product.
Let's return to more pressing issues. How to behave for those who are ready to switch to a healthy lifestyle, but do not want to give up their favorite sweet cake? We recommend the following: people who care about their figure should simply choose meringue without a cream filling.
Conclusion
Anyone who prefers this dish at home should control the amount of sugar for this dessert. If, for example, you put much less sugar in the future meringue, you can achieve less sweetness, and, consequently, less energy value. In this way, you can reduce the calorie content of the product, and the dessert will not “affect” your waistline, if you consume it, of course, in reasonable quantities. So cook for your pleasure and enjoy life without denying yourself anything!
Meringue dessert is probably familiar to everyone from childhood. This light, airy delicacy simply melts in your mouth. This cake is based on egg whites, which may suggest that the meringue is not high in calories. Let's look at this issue more closely. Is it so? The answer to this question will certainly be of interest to weight watchers, as well as parents of young children.
What are the benefits and properties of meringue?
Before turning to the calorie content of meringue, let's clarify whether this cake has any benefits. If you think that meringue contains only protein, then you are mistaken, this delicacy is rich in carbohydrates and also contains some vitamins. These include vitamins PP and B. The first of them are actively involved in the digestion process, beneficially affecting the functioning of the stomach and pancreas. In addition, meringue contains many minerals, which helps this dessert have a positive effect on the overall metabolism in the body.
How many calories are in meringue cake?
Despite the lion's share of proteins, this dessert also contains sugar, which significantly “heightens” the calorie content of the meringue. Namely, the calorie content of meringue per 100 grams is 235 kcal.
Very often, meringue is used not only as an independent dessert, but also as an additional component for the formation of complex pastries, cakes and desserts. The taste and properties of meringue cake allow it to be combined with a variety of creams, toppings, whipped cream, cottage cheese, fruit and chocolate.
As we know, the halves of a classic meringue cake are held together using buttercream. Accordingly, in this case, the calorie content of meringue with cream will be higher. It is 430 kcal per 100 grams.
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What should those true connoisseurs of this wonderful dessert do, who watch their figure, but cannot deny themselves the delicacy? The solution is obvious; you can sometimes allow yourself a little meringue without any cream.
Alternatively, to fully control the composition of the meringue, you can prepare it yourself at home. In this case, it is important to monitor the amount of sugar added to the dessert. This way you will get a healthier and less calorie dessert.
Let's not be idle, let's give an example of a simple meringue recipe.
So, we will need:
- 3 chicken eggs;
- 1.5 cups sugar;
- 1 teaspoon butter;
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice.
Cooking method:
Using a mixer at medium speed, beat the whites separated from the yolks with lemon juice until strong white peaks form. Add powdered sugar in small portions and continue beating until a homogeneous thick mass is formed.
Grease the baking sheet with oil, use a pastry syringe or a regular spoon to place the future cakes. Dry them in the oven at 100 degrees for 1-2 minutes. We don’t take them out right away, let them cool a little. Ready. You can enjoy a light dessert, but even despite the relatively low calorie content of meringue without cream, dessert should be consumed in moderation.
Not every housewife can boast of beautiful and tasty meringue. After all, in addition to taste, you want the dessert to have the correct shape and a festive look.
Therefore, we will share some secrets of making the perfect meringue:
- It is better to use chilled eggs. Therefore, half an hour before preparing the meringues, they should be put in the refrigerator.
- It is also important to properly separate the whites from the yolks. Not even a drop of yolk should get into the protein mass. Otherwise, you risk not whipping the whites to the desired fluffiness.
- The container for whipping egg whites must be completely dry and clean, without a drop of moisture. The whisk should also be dry.
- First, beat the whites separately with a pinch of salt, and then only add powdered sugar or sugar in portions. Beat until stiff peaks form.
- The protein mixture is not baked, but slightly dried at a temperature of about 100 degrees, without closing the door tightly.
- If the meringue is not dried well, it will turn out, firstly, not so tasty, and secondly, it will not be stored for long.
- You should remove from the oven not only the cooked hot meringue, but also the slightly rested one.
- The drying time in the oven depends on the size and thickness of the product, usually an average of a couple of minutes. The resulting dessert should be light in color and completely dry.
The mineral components included in the dessert accelerate metabolic processes. Niacin contained in egg whites improves brain function.
Choline helps eliminate toxic substances and improve memory.
Calorie content
Important nuances
How to store the treat?
The cake should be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for no more than a week. It is not recommended to keep them in the refrigerator, as they can become damp and lose their properties.
Cooking process
Cooking options
Baked meringues are used as preparations for cakes or made into cake layers. Lollipops made from protein foam are also popular. They are baked and filled with various fillings. Italian confectioners combine whipped egg whites with hot sugar syrup. Sometimes this mass is baked, but is mainly used as a glaze for dessert. Swiss craftsmen combine whites with sugar and beat the mixture in a water bath, after which they bake. This option is used to decorate desserts.
Making meringue cakes
Chamomile Cake Recipe
- 10 chicken eggs;
- 810 grams of granulated sugar;
- 255 grams of milk;
- 455 grams of butter;
- medium sized lemon;
- vanillin or vanilla sugar;
- 25 grams of cognac.
To prepare the cream, you need to bring the milk to a boil and dissolve a glass of sugar in it. Grind the remaining sugar and two eggs and place in a water bath. Add milk and sugar and cook the cream in a water bath for 7-12 minutes. Then cool and add whipped butter, vanillin and cognac.
Whisk the prepared mixture. Place the cakes one by one on the dish, brushing each cake with cream. The top cake can be
The name of the wonderful delicacy “meringue” comes from the French word, which translated means “kiss”. Meringue is an airy cake that simply melts in your mouth. It is popular among children and adults.
The benefits of cake
Meringue cake is the ideal dessert for those who are counting calories from their daily diet. Also, the issue of calorie content of the product worries mothers whose children will not give up their favorite treat. To prepare it, use egg white and sugar. Thanks to the low-fat composition, the calorie content of classic meringue per 100 grams is no more than 56 kilocalories. But the famous delicacy does not always have the same composition.
Few people know that by eating a cake, the body receives not only calories, but also benefits. The cake contains a large amount of carbohydrates and vitamins B and PP, which help convert the food eaten into energy, enhancing the function of the stomach and pancreas.
The mineral components included in the dessert accelerate metabolic processes. Niacin contained in egg whites improves brain function. Choline helps eliminate toxic substances and improve memory.
Calorie content
Meringues are often used as components for preparing complex types of desserts, as well as cakes and various pastries. The taste qualities allow meringue to be used in combination with curd cream, chocolate icing, cream and fruit.
Depending on what foods the treat is consumed with, the number of kilocalories will depend. The calorie content of meringue with butter cream, which is used to connect the two halves, is 425 kilocalories per 100 grams of product.
For those who count calories throughout the day, it is better to choose a treat without connective cream. To prepare a homemade dessert, you can use less sugar, then the calorie content of the meringue will be significantly lower.
It is better not to consume the treat in the afternoon so that the body has time to process the resulting carbohydrates.
Important nuances
To prepare an airy dessert, the whites are whipped with sugar and baked for a long time at a low temperature. The structure turns out to be a crispy, light-colored cake.
When using meringue as a decoration for other desserts, they are baked for less time and at a higher temperature. They turn out softer inside.
How to store the treat? The cake should be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for no more than a week. It is not recommended to keep them in the refrigerator, as they can become damp and lose their properties.
In order to prepare one serving of the famous cake, you need to beat four egg whites and 250 grams of sugar into a foam. Bake in the oven at 100 degrees for 1.5-2 hours. This is a classic cooking recipe, since with maximum saturation of taste, the minimum calorie content of meringue without connecting cream is obtained.
Cooking process
- To get a strong foam, you need to use cold egg white. You should carefully separate it from the yolk. Turn on the mixer for whipping egg whites at minimum speed;
- A pinch of salt will speed up the foam formation process;
- Sugar is added gradually in small portions. If you combine the entire portion of sugar with foam, you will not get the desired consistency;
- Whisk time: 30 minutes. During this time, it reaches the desired density and is enriched with oxygen;
- After the sugar has dissolved, place the cakes on a baking sheet lined with parchment. To spread the protein mass, it is convenient to use a pastry syringe, a pastry bag or a regular spoon.
A properly prepared delicacy will be tender, crumbly and crispy. The beneficial substances that make up proteins do not lose their properties after heat treatment. The calorie content of the cream meringue cake increases by 435 kilocalories.
Cooking options
Different countries have their own cooking characteristics. French chefs prefer whipped egg whites with powdered sugar. Sometimes ground hazelnuts or almonds are added.
Baked meringues are used as preparations for cakes or made into cake layers. Lollipops made from protein foam are also popular. They are baked and filled with various fillings.
Italian confectioners combine whipped egg whites with hot sugar syrup. Sometimes this mass is baked, but is mainly used as a glaze for dessert. Swiss craftsmen combine whites with sugar and beat the mixture in a water bath, after which they bake. This option is used to decorate desserts.
They also use different baking technologies. With the oven preheated on low, the cake bakes for half an hour, making it firmer and crispier. At high temperatures, the baking time is a few minutes - soft cakes are obtained. They are not fully baked, so it seems like they are filled with cream inside.
Making meringue cakes
There are many cake recipes that include a crispy meringue layer. It's hard to resist such a culinary masterpiece. Even those who count calories won't always refuse a small piece of cake.
Chamomile Cake Recipe
Calorie content is 248 kilocalories per 100 grams.
To prepare you will need:
- 10 chicken eggs;
- 810 grams of granulated sugar;
- 110 grams of corn starch;
- 255 grams of milk;
- 455 grams of butter;
- medium sized lemon;
- vanillin or vanilla sugar;
- 25 grams of cognac.
To prepare the sponge cake, beat the whites of five eggs. Grind 350 grams of sugar and 8 yolks until white. Then add lemon zest, egg whites and starch. Divide the dough into two equal parts, place in molds and place in an oven preheated to 145 degrees for 55 minutes.
To prepare the meringue crust, beat 3 egg whites and gradually add 100 grams of granulated sugar. Place the cake on paper and dry the meringue in the oven for 43 minutes at 135 degrees. After cooling, carefully separate the cake from the paper.
To prepare the cream, you need to bring the milk to a boil and dissolve a glass of sugar in it. Grind the remaining sugar and two eggs and place in a water bath. Add milk and sugar and cook the cream in a water bath for 7-12 minutes. Then cool and add whipped butter, vanillin and cognac. Whisk the prepared mixture. Place the cakes one by one on the dish, brushing each cake with cream. The top cake can be decorated with fruit.
Each housewife can prepare her own cake and decorate it at her own discretion. The calorie content of meringue cakes will vary depending on the additional products used.
but decorate with fruit.
To prepare cakes with meringue layers, you can use various cooking recipes. This can be a layer among sponge cakes or the top layer of a cake, decorated with chocolate icing and nuts.
Each housewife can prepare her own cake and decorate it at her own discretion. The calorie content of meringue cakes will vary depending on the additional products used.
Related materials
Sweets spoil your figure - we all know this very well. On the other hand, it is also unlikely that it will be possible to abandon it forever. So where is the way out? Choose delicious desserts that won't make you gain weight. We have selected 10 of these for you.
Desserts will not spoil your figure if you choose them correctly
Strictly speaking, there are no delicious desserts that are completely safe for your figure. Moreover, you can gain weight from oatmeal, turkey stew, and even salads, if you decide to consume buckets of it all. “First of all, it’s a question of quantity,- emphasizes Elena Tikhomirova, nutritionist at the SM Clinic. - You can eat desserts every day, but little by little and in such a way that they fit well into your diet in terms of calorie content. Dishes with a high protein content are optimal, because, accordingly, they will contain less of the two main fatty substances - fats and carbohydrates. And, of course, it is very important to eat desserts only in the first half of the day - no later than five o’clock in the evening. If you follow these simple rules, you will not get better from them.”
For anyone who wants to lose weight but cannot give up sweets, nutritionists recommend preparing desserts yourself: to know exactly how much sugar and fat they contain. We offer you the 10 safest options for your figure.
1. Curd cocktail. This figure-safe and delicious dessert can be prepared in 5-6 minutes. Mix in a blender 50 g of low-fat (up to 4%) cottage cheese, 1 glass of natural milk yogurt, 150 g of low-fat (up to 1.5%) milk and a handful of any seasonal berries or half a banana. The cocktail will easily turn into a mousse if you reduce the amount of milk. If desired, you can drip a little honey on it and garnish with berries and mint.
2. Stuffed. Usually it is filled with a mixture of honey and nuts, but if you decide to lose weight, they should be replaced with low-fat cottage cheese in this sweet dish. Cut the fruits into two parts, carefully remove the core from each half and put cottage cheese in its place. Bake in the oven until done. This dish will be delicious both hot and cold. And you can cook it in the microwave. In this case, however, it will turn out a little more watery.
The dessert will be more flavorful if you sprinkle it with cinnamon.
3. . “It is made from seasonal apples, which are baked until soft, peeled and cored and pureed,- says Elena Tikhomirova. - Then the mass is cooled and combined with one pre-whipped egg white. If the apples are sweet, you won't need sugar. If they are sour, you can add 1-2 teaspoons; this will not increase the calorie content of the marshmallow. Place the mixture on a baking sheet covered with parchment and dry it at a very low temperature of 40°C for a couple of hours rather than bake in the oven.” The finished marshmallow can be rolled into a tube or cut into pieces. This natural delicacy is stored well if you wrap it in parchment and put it in a dry, dark place.
4. Fruit salad. To make it tastier, mix sweet and sour fruits cut into pieces (kiwi, bananas, apples, etc.) and any berries. Season with freshly squeezed juice. Or, even better, natural yogurt. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon powdered sugar and cinnamon on top.
5. Lightweight. An excellent option for both a delicious dessert and a sweet breakfast. To prepare four servings, mix 400 g of cottage cheese (up to 4% fat), 3-4 tablespoons of kefir, 1 egg, 3 tablespoons of semolina and 1 tablespoon of sugar. Place in a greased pan and bake in the oven at 200°C. You can also cook the casserole in a slow cooker.
6. with carrots. “I think I spotted this recipe on one of the cooking shows and took note: these cookies are very beautiful and tasty and at the same time low in calories, For 1 cup of oatmeal, take 2 cups of finely grated raw carrots, add 1 beaten egg and a tablespoon of flour. Spoon the mixture onto a baking sheet with a tablespoon and bake in a preheated oven until cooked at 80°C.”
7. Meringue. In every way an easy option for a delicious dessert! Just beat 4 egg whites with a glass of sugar, place them on a baking sheet with a spoon and bake, or rather, dry them at 100°C. Each “cookie” weighs 3-4 grams, and its calorie content is airy. If this option seems boring to you, melt the chocolate in a water bath, cool and drop it on the cookies.
8. Homemade jelly. “The fundamental point is that the juice for it needs to be natural, freshly squeezed,- says Elena Tikhomirova. - It will not be as sweet and sugary as store-bought. Soak 6 g of gelatin in water, combine with 500 ml of juice and let harden in the refrigerator. This jelly can also be made into puffs - from the juice of various fruits and milk, you can add pieces of fruit and berries to it.”
Jelly is the perfect summer treat: light and refreshing
9. Light pancakes. “In its classic version, this delicious dessert contains many calories,- says Elena Tikhomirova. - But nothing prevents us from making this dish easier. Knead the dough from 1/2 cup of water, 1/2 cup of skim milk, 1 egg, 1 teaspoon of sugar, 1 pinch of salt and flour until the pancake dough is thick. Take a cast iron frying pan and heat it up higher, then you won’t have to pour much oil on it. When serving, you can lightly sprinkle the pancakes with powdered sugar or sprinkle with any jam. Even in this case, they will be 3-4 times less caloric than classic ones.”
10. . The simplest thing: flour, water, yeast, a drop of salt, 1 egg, 1 tablespoon of sugar - so that yeast grows on it. And with the simplest “vegetable” filling, for example, grated apple or stewed cabbage. “If you bake them and not fry them, as someone also does, the calorie content of a standard pie will be only about 100 kcal,- says Elena Tikhomirova. - A How it will warm your soul that you watch your diet, you ate a pie and you won’t get better from it!”
If you have no desire to cook, you can buy a dessert that is relatively safe for your figure in the store. The guidelines are still the same: it should contain as much protein as possible and little fat in combination with carbohydrates. You can opt for meringue, fruit jelly, curd mousse... In a restaurant - fruit salad, creme brulee or panna cotta. But it’s better to stay away from cakes with butter cream: the body will receive with them a fair amount of carbohydrates, which are used, and fats, which it will only have to store.
Save dessert recipes on your social media page!
The total calorie content of meringue per 100 grams is 305 kcal. 100 g of product contains:
- proteins – 2.4 g;
- fat – 0 g;
- carbohydrates – 79 g.
The vitamin composition of meringue is represented by vitamins B, H, PP. The product is enriched with calcium, magnesium, zinc, phosphorus, potassium, iodine and chromium.
Considering the product composition of meringue, it should be noted that it is quite diverse. To prepare store-bought sweets, chicken egg whites, granulated sugar, vanillin, and natural vanilla are used. The characteristic smell of meringue is usually created by vanilla sugar or a special flavored sugar syrup.
The average weight of one cookie is 10 g. Thus, the calorie content of 1 meringue cake. is 30.5 kcal, while the sweetness will contain 0.24 g of protein, 0 g of fat, 7.9 g of carbohydrates.
What are the benefits of meringue?
Meringue is considered a sweet product that is healthy for the body. The basis of the sweetness is egg white enriched with niacin. Niacin stimulates brain activity and improves memory.
The choline contained in meringue is of great benefit. With sufficient choline intake, the following positive effects are achieved:
- the fat and cholesterol balance in the body is normalized;
- the work of the nervous system is activated;
- liver tissue damaged by drugs is restored;
- cholelithiasis is prevented;
- short-term memory improves.
Harm to meringue
Despite the low calorie content of meringue, it is recommended to consume the product in limited quantities. Due to the sugar included in the product, meringue can cause you to gain extra pounds.
If you overuse meringue, caries develops, allergic reactions to egg whites appear, and cholesterol levels increase.
Popular homemade meringue recipe
If you decide to make homemade meringue cookies, you can cope with this task without much difficulty. We offer you a favorite recipe from French confectioners - you will need 4 egg whites, 240 g of powdered sugar and a small amount of vegetable oil to grease a baking sheet:
- The yolks are carefully separated from the whites and whipped with a mixer at low speed until a thick foam is obtained;
- after foam has appeared, continue beating by adding a little powdered sugar to the whites;
- as soon as all the powdered sugar is added, set the mixer to medium speed and continue beating until the sugar is completely dissolved in the whites;
- an indicator that everything was done correctly is the resulting dense protein sweet mass;
- the baking sheet is covered with parchment, greased with vegetable oil;
- the protein mass is squeezed onto it using a pastry bag;
- Bake the meringue in the oven at 100 degrees for 50 - 60 minutes.
To ensure that the meringue turns out just right, it is important to remember the following recommendations:
- The dishes are selected from glass, plastic or porcelain. Aluminum containers will give the proteins a slight grayish tint;
- whipping is carried out in a clean and dry container, without adding water;
- By first wiping the whipping container with lemon, you will be able to make the whipped whites more fluffy;
- compliance with the temperature regime is a prerequisite, since the meringue is not baked, but dried;
- even a slight ingress of yolk into the white during separation will not allow the protein mass to beat well;
- It is recommended to beat the whites into a new plate each time. This will make it possible to prevent spoilage of the entire protein mass if a stale egg comes across;
- You should not replace powdered sugar with sugar. Before it has time to dissolve, the sugar in the meringue will creak on your teeth.
