Mad for Meringue: 19 Delicious Meringue Recipes (2024)

FAQs

Can I use powdered sugar instead of granulated sugar in meringue? ›

It can be made with any sugar. One cup of superfine sugar or packed brown sugar is equal to 1 cup of granulated sugar; 1-3/4 cups powdered sugar equals 1 cup granulated. Superfine sugar may dissolve more readily and produce a smoother glossier meringue, but volume will not be as great.

Use ultrafine Baker's Sugar for meringues and other baked goods – it dissolves faster than regular granulated sugar. Use ultrafine Baker's Sugar to help prevent “weeping” or sogginess. Meringues will weep if there's any undissolved sugar. Don't put granulated sugar in a food processor to achieve a finer grain.

You can't overbeat meringue – It's true! You can't ruin it by mixing too much, so once all of the sugar is added, be sure that it is glossy and that you have super firm, stiff peaks when you remove the beater from the mixer. Don't be afraid to mix a little longer if it appears too soft.

Meringue is a fluffy mixture that is delicious on its own. It is also used to give mousses, macarons, and some buttercream frostings their light and fluffy textures. If you've never made meringue yourself, you might be surprised to learn that the main ingredients are simply egg whites and sugar!

Meringue Basics

For plain meringue, whether a single large raft, two 8-inch circles, 1 towering pie's worth, or two dozen smaller cookies, use 6 egg whites, 1/8 teaspoon salt, 1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar (optional, but helps the eggs whip up), and 1 cup powdered sugar.

Can powdered sugar be substituted for granulated sugar in recipes? A. It is not recommended to substitute powdered sugar for granulated sugar. Since powdered sugar has a much finer texture, and it contains a small percentage of cornstarch to prevent caking, substituting can give you unexpected results.

1) Always use caster sugar, not granulated sugar. The finer grain makes it dissolve more quickly. 2) Heat the sugar in the oven before adding it to the egg whites. We experimented with loads of meringue recipes for months and this one gave us the best results.

Acid. Whether it be vinegar, lemon juice, cream of tartar, or a combination, an acid will greatly improve the structure of meringue. Acid not only helps meringue whip up and aerate more quickly, it also keeps it stable. Without acid, meringue is more likely to collapse either during or after mixing.

Any kind of grease ruins meringue. That means that your cooking utensils need to be immaculately clean. Even if you're sure they're clean but they've been sitting in your kitchen for a while, run some hot, hot water over them and dry with a clean dish towel or paper towel.

Is it better to use old or new eggs for meringue? ›

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 is quite unusual for a meringue to have an "eggy" flavour and unfortunately this is usually an indication that the eggs are slightly stale. Check that the eggs are within their "best before" date and that they have been stored correctly.

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.

First, salt promotes the coagulation of proteins, which means you have to beat the egg whites longer to unwind the bunched up (coagulated) protein strands and stretch them into the thin films that encase air bubbles and create foam.

Cream of tartar stabilizes the tiny bubbles in the egg whites, by precluding the egg proteins from sticking together. It thus speeds up the egg white whipping process and contributes to a stable, billowy, glossy meringue, perfect for cookies, topping pies, and folding into cake.

A meringue topping makes any pie special, and when made with brown sugar, even more so. This easy meringue is made with the typical egg whites and vanilla, but instead of white sugar, brown sugar is used, making the perfect topping for butterscotch, caramel, and banana cream pies.

How to Substitute Powdered Sugar for Granulated Sugar. You can also use powdered sugar to replace up to 2 cups of granulated sugar, using 1 3/4 cup unsifted powdered sugar for each cup of sugar.

The most common are granulated sugar and castor sugar. Both give a traditional meringue, granulated sugar giving a slightly grainier texture as it dissolves more slowly, and may need a bit of extra beating to break up the grains. Icing sugar can also be used, this gives a very “white” result.