Posted by Gerard on November 05, 1997 at 16:36:45:
In Reply to: How do I keep crispy cookies from getting soggy, ditto meringues posted by Karen Upright on November 04, 1997 at 23:30:14:
.. I have customers call me and ask me to make meringue shells for them because theirs won't turn out. Mine won't either, not in the summertime. Gerard, any advice for regulating temperature and humidity during storage and prep? Or should I just give up?
I worked in sunny Sarasota one yr, I know what you mean, around May it gets impossible but there were cooler months when we did about everything. Meringues are dried for 12 hrs rather than baked so you can store them in a hot spot, an un used oven with a pilot light should keep it cripsy, you can also try adding cornstarch to powdered sugar to raise the XXXX rating, I think the more its milled the more starch they add to prevent caking into rocks, the X rating (4X 10X 20X) refers to the amount its been milled and the corresponding percentage of starch added.
Success or Japonais meringue uses cornstach sifted into the X sugar to stop the ground almonds from collapsing it all.
Brandy snaps are just about caramel, not much use there but tuiles should be storeable with enough heat, you could freeze them too. We made tuiles daily, cat tongues, lady's mirror and a few others,the shop itself was airconditioned , I don't recall it being a problem. It gets bad in Boston as far as humidity goes too, July-Sept can be brutal.
Gerard