GUARINGUE SUISSE "RAJA"

Over the past year I have been working extensively with the meringue, and the following recipe is the result of my working to reduce the sugar content of the now-classic “swiss meringue less sweetened,” from either Pierre Herme or Frederic Bau. Though their meringues may be less sweetened, they are still pretty sweet. Here I take advantage of guar’s synergy with iota carrageenan to make a freeze thaw stable meringue with half of the original sugar value. You can actually cut the sugar in half, but it stops tasting like meringue, and starts tasting like a clarifying raft, for those of you who still use those.

THE RECIPE
This recipe is as follows:

COCONUT WATER SODA

1. Warm egg whites and 170g sugar with cinnamon over water bath
2. Infuse for 30 minutes
3. Blend and strain
4. Mix iota and guar with 30 grams sugar (to aid dispersion), then whisk into egg whites
5. Warm over bain mairie until 55 celsius, always whisking
6. Transfer to bowl of stand mixer and whip until cool
7. Reserve frozen and re-whip as necessary.

When the meringue is finished, you can “fry” it in liquid nitrogen to make the shell crispy, then blow torch it to caramelize, and sprinkle with poppy seeds for a froating island. Alternatively, you could make like we are here, and serve as a homage to Patrice Demers’ dynamic cream pot, by serving it over a caramel cream with iota and kappa; praline peanuts with chili and kaffir lime; and a brown butter and popcorn ice cream.