Meringue is made out of that perfect food - eggs. Or rather, the whites of eggs. And to make them even more perfect, you can either use them while they're soft and light to top pies and other desserts, or you can cook them until they're crunchy with a marshmallow texture inside. Either way, they're absolutely perfect, but they're not the easiest thing to master.
That's because meringues are as delicate as they look, and they need to be handled with care. And just one tiny misstep, and you could find that you're left with something that just won't whip, or that is discolored and unappetizing. Worse yet, you could find something that simply tastes too, well, eggy. And that's not something anyone wants in a meringue. But you don't have to worry about any of that when you follow the tips below!
1. Use the right bowl This tip is actually two-fold. The first thing you want to remember when whipping meringues is to use a much bigger bowl than you think you might need. Egg whites will whip up to huge volume, so in this case bigger is always better.
Secondly, and maybe even more important, is to not use a plastic bowl. Plastic can hold onto oils and other things that can interfere with the whipping of the eggs so it's always better to use a glass, copper, or stainless steel bowl. And thirdly, as a bonus tip, make sure that bowl is ultra-clean.
2. Get the eggs to the right temperature This part of making meringue can be a little tricky. That's because egg whites will separate more easily from the yolk when the eggs are cold, but the whites will whip up more in volume when they are room temperature. To navigate this delicate balance, separate the eggs straight out of the fridge. Then, leave the whites in a bowl on the counter for 20 to 30 minutes before whipping them up.
3. Use an electric mixer It doesn't have to be a stand mixer, but you should use an electric mixer. It can take a long time to whip those egg whites when doing it by hand, and your arms may get too sore by the time your egg whites are fully whipped. Even if you're a kitchen warrior on this one, just give it up to the appliances and let them do most of the legwork. Your arms, and your meringue, will thank you for it.
4. Use a stabilizer Most cooks use cream of tartar to stabilize their meringue, and this is truly the best option. It's the easiest to work with and it will give your meringues the hold and shape that they need. If you don't happen to have cream of tartar on hand, lemon juice or vinegar will work just as well. Just remember that these should only be used when using a glass dish, as contact with any metal can give these an off color.
5. Choose a dry day Meringue is very particular. And one of those particulars comes into play especially with moisture. Meringue hates moisture of any kind and will simply refuse to play if any kind of moisture is involved - even if it's just in the air. Because of this, it's best to make meringues on a very dry day when there's very little humidity. For this reason, if you live in a cold climate you'll find your meringues will cooperate better if you make them during the winter. And if you live in a hot climate, it's best to turn on the air conditioner before you start your meringue.
6. Use the right sugar All meringues will require that you add some kind of sugar to them. And shockingly, many meringue recipes call for refined white sugar. We strongly disagree that you use this type of sugar. You'll feel it in the meringue like little grains of sand placed throughout it, and that's not all that appetizing. Instead, use powdered sugar, also known as icing sugar, or another sugar that is super fine. It will distribute nicely throughout the meringue and you won't feel a thing other than that light and airy, perfect meringue.
