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Basic Meringue Recipe

whisk attachment from a stand mixer with marshmallow filling on it
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Fluffy, light meringue using three methods.

  • Author: Claire Coffey
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Total Time: 10 minutes
  • Yield: 24 1x
  • Category: Dessert

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 4 egg whites
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

Swiss meringue:

  1. Whisk together egg whites and sugar.
  2. Place over a pot of boiling water and cook until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is hot (160F).
  3. Whip meringue on high until light, fluffy and cool to the touch.
  4. Add the vanilla extract and whip on low until just combined.

French meringue:

  1. Combine egg whites and sugar in a bowl.
  2. Whip on high until the meringue is light, fluffy and the sugar has dissolved.
  3. Add the vanilla extract and mix on low until just combined.

Italian meringue:

  1. In a small saucepan, combine sugar with 1/2 cup water.
  2. Cook until the mixture boils and turns clear (about 235F, also known as the soft-ball stage).
  3. While the syrup cooks, whip egg whites until frothy and stiff.
  4. With the mixer on high, pour a thin stream of syrup down the side of the bowl until the saucepan is empty.
  5. Whip on high until light, fluffy and cool to the touch.

Notes

Why did my meringue crack?

Cracking is a common problem for baked meringues. Often times temperature is the culprit: Either an oven that's too hot or the meringues experience too abrupt a change in temperature.

If you haven't calibrated your oven or checked that it's heating to the correct temperature lately, this is a good place to start.

While each meringue recipe may call for slightly different baking temperatures and times, I like to bake most of my meringue at around 200F. If you're baking meringue at temperatures higher than this, this may be the reason your meringue is cracking.

Finally, that quick temperature drop that happens as a result of removing your meringue from a hot oven can also lead to cracking. To fix this, turn off your oven when the meringue is done baking and let it cool inside.

Why does meringue weep?

Weeping is when a layer of liquid forms under your meringue. This can occur for a few reasons: Undercooking, overcooking or when meringue has been placed on top of a moist treat like pie filling.

To prevent this, make sure you're following your recipe and cooking it to the point specified. It can also help to add a stabilizer like cream of tartar or corn starch.

If you live in a humid environment, this can also lead to weeping. When possible, try to make meringue on less humid days or keep it somewhere dry.

Why didn't my meringue get stiff?

Grease is a common culprit that keeps meringue from stiffening. Make sure all of your equipment is grease-free and try to avoid plastic utensils and dishes, which can pull and retain grease from previous culinary projects.

Why did my meringue stick to the baking paper?

When meringue is fully baked, it should easily pull away from baking paper. If it's sticking, that's likely a sign that it needs to bake longer.

Why did my meringue wrinkle after baking?

Meringue is very susceptible to moisture and can wrinkle or look scaly as it absorbs moisture. This can happen when humidity is high or if it's not baked long enough.

To prevent this, allow the meringue to cool in the oven overnight after baking. Be sure to crack the oven for 10 minutes after turning it off so that no moisture from inside the oven has an opportunity to reabsorb.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://thesimple-sweetlife.com/how-to-make-meringue/