How to Make the Perfect Sugary, Snow White Meringue

A meringue is simply a mixture of beaten egg whites and sugar, but it looks and tastes like an elegant, heavenly dessert.  Meringues are usually cooked on the top of a pie or used in a batter by bakers and confectioners the world over.  There are soft meringues, firm meringues, Swiss, French and Italian. 

Here is a look at all five different types of meringues, in all of their delicious glory and complexity.  But first, let’s start with instructions on how to make just a simple one.

How to Make a Basic Meringue

First, separate 3 eggs very carefully.  You will only need egg whites to make meringue.  Even the smallest bit of egg yolk will keep your whites from whipping up properly.  Also, be sure to let the egg whites sit for a while if they have been in the refrigerator.  They need to reach room temperature to form bubbles.

The best bowl to whip up a meringue in is copper, just like grandma used to use.  Copper actually reacts to the chemical makeup of egg whites and will provide a more fluffy result.  If you don’t have a copper bowl, use a glass bowl or metal bowl.  An aluminum bowl will turn egg whites gray, and a plastic bowl can deflate a meringue.

In a medium bowl, beat three eggs whites with an electric mixer (or using a whisk and a very quick hand).  Add ¼ teaspoon cream of tarter and just a dash of salt.  Begin to beat the whites slowly to produce small bubbles.  When the bubbles start to form, increase the speed of beating until the whites start to peak. 

At this point, beat in 2/3 cups of extra-fine sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, for about 7 minutes.  Stiff peaks should start to form, and voila, you have your meringue.

Top 5 Types of meringue

Soft Meringue

Soft meringue is normally used as a topping for pies, such as lemon meringue pie.  This type of meringue is baked at a higher temperature, which results in a browned top and a soft bottom.

Firm Meringue

Firm meringue has a drier and crunchier consistency, and is baked at a low temperature for a very long time.  This allows the meringue to dry out or dehydrate, which gives it the hard texture.

French Meringue

French meringue is known as “cold” meringue, and is the most common.  A French meringue is made by whisking the egg whites until peaks are formed, and the desired consistency is reached.  The above simple recipe calls for a French meringue, as it is the most widely used.  However, a French meringue will not be as smooth as the other types if baked.

Swiss Meringue

Swiss meringue is made by whisking egg whites and sugar at the same time and then heating to a temperature of 110° F until the sugar dissolves completely.  Then, the mixture is beaten until the desired consistency is reached.

Italian Meringue

Italian meringue has the smoothest and finest texture of all the meringues.  Sugar and water are first heated to form a syrup, and then poured into beaten egg whites and whisked at high speed to form the desired consistency.