The Easiest Basic Meringue Recipe-How to make meringues (2024)

FAQs

What is the trick to making meringue? ›

French meringue is often considered the simplest meringue recipe to make. Unlike Swiss and Italian meringue, the ingredients are combined without any heat. Egg whites are whipped into soft peaks before sugar is slowly whisked in until stiff peaks have formed.

French (Simple) Meringue

This is the most common and easiest to make of the meringues and is known as an 'uncooked' meringue. Egg whites are whisked until soft peaks form. The sugar is then gradually whisked in, a large spoonful at a time, until fully incorporated and it has dissolved.

Cornstarch: Cornstarch is an excellent way to foolproof your meringue. Use it to create added fluff and keep your hard-won volume from shrinking. Cream of Tartar: Often added in when making meringues, acidic cream of tartar provides lift and stabilization.

A couple ideas… never use a plastic bowl, metal or glass only and make sure there is not even a drop of egg yolk. Fat will cause your whites to not reach stiff peaks. Also, adding cream of tartar or a little lemon juice will help make a solid meringue.

3 Different Types of Meringues

Although they're all made with egg whites and sugar beaten until stiff peaks form, the three types of meringue recipes—Italian, Swiss, and French—differ in how and when heat is incorporated for stabilization.

French meringue has a delicate and airy texture, making it perfect for meringue cookies and pavlovas. Although it's the least stable of the three types of meringue, it's also the easiest to make, so it's a great option for beginners.

Two common types of meringue are French and Swiss. The main ingredients are the same, but the techniques are varied, resulting in differences of texture, stability and best uses in desserts. Read on and watch our video to learn how to make French and Swiss meringues.

Is lemon juice or cream of tartar better for meringue? ›

Cream of tartar: Cream of tartar is acidic, and it works to add better stabilization to meringue. The acid can be substituted for lemon juice or vinegar. Sugar: Superfine sugar is best for meringue, as it aids in better absorption.

Italian meringue is generally considered to be the most stable of the meringues (which makes it suitable for making frosting too), but also, the most difficult to make of the three meringue types. You'll also need a kitchen thermometer as your mixture has to reach a temperature of 115°C (very hot!).

Thanks to the modern mixer, meringue making is a lot easier and older eggs aren't necessary. In fact, older eggs create a less stable foam because the liquid drains more easily from the bubbles. As a general rule of thumb, if stability is more important than volume, use fresher eggs.

It can take a while for a meringue to reach stiff peaks and for the sugar to dissolve—about five minutes with a hand mixer. If the sugar has not dissolved (for example, if it tastes gritty), keep beating.

In a large clean, grease-free bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, use the whisk attachement to whip the egg whites on low speed until foamy bubbles appear at the top. Add the vanilla bean paste and vinegar (or cream of tartar) and continue whipping until really foamy.