Classic French Meringue
This is the foundation for soufflés, macarons, and pavlovas. It relies on a clean bowl and the slow addition of sugar to build a tight, elastic web of protein.
Cleanliness determines your success.
Any trace of grease or yolk in the bowl will prevent the proteins from bonding and your meringue will never stiffen. Wipe your bowl with a drop of vinegar or lemon juice before you begin.
- Stand mixer or hand mixer
- Large glass or metal bowl
- Balloon whisk
- Rubber spatula
- Baking sheet
- Parchment paper
What goes in.
- 4 largeegg whites, at room temperature
- 1 cupsuperfine sugar
- 1/4 tspcream of tartar
- 1 pinchfine sea salt
Adding sugar by the tablespoon
Never dump all the sugar in at once. Adding it one tablespoon at a time ensures the crystals dissolve fully into the egg proteins, creating a dense, stable foam rather than a grainy mess.
The method.
Prepare the whites
Place egg whites, salt, and cream of tartar in a perfectly clean bowl. Whisk on medium speed until they become foamy and opaque, like soapy water.
Incorporate the sugar
Increase speed to medium-high. Add the sugar one tablespoon at a time, waiting about 15 seconds between additions. Watch for the mixture to transition from loose bubbles to a thick, opaque white cream.
Reach the peak
Continue whipping until the mixture is thick, shiny, and holds stiff, sharp peaks. When you lift the whisk, the meringue should stand straight up without drooping at the tip.
Bake or set
Pipe or spoon the mixture onto a lined baking sheet. Bake at 200°F (95°C) for 60 to 90 minutes. They are ready when they feel dry to the touch and lift off the parchment cleanly.
Other turns to take.
Almond Meringue
Fold in a half-cup of finely ground almond flour at the very end to create a texture similar to a macaron shell.
Cocoa Meringue
Sift one tablespoon of unsweetened cocoa powder into the mixture during the final seconds of whipping.
When it doesn't go to plan.
If it is a humid day, your meringues will take longer to crisp up and might turn sticky faster; keep them in an airtight container immediately once cooled.
Rub a bit of the raw meringue between your fingers; if it feels gritty, the sugar hasn't dissolved yet, so keep whisking.
Let the meringues cool completely inside the turned-off oven to prevent them from cracking due to sudden temperature changes.
The ones that keep coming up.
Why did my meringue turn into a puddle in the oven?
The sugar was likely added too quickly, preventing the protein structure from strengthening, or there was a tiny amount of fat/yolk in the bowl.
Can I use powdered sugar instead?
No, powdered sugar contains cornstarch which will change the texture and prevent the meringue from becoming stiff and crisp.
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