Meringues are great for all things pastry, it’s knowing what is the best type of meringue you need for your dessert.
When I make meringue I personally use the 2:1 ratio, (200g sugar, 100g egg whites) for all my meringues but if you want it less sweet then reduce the amount of sugar.
There are 3 different types of meringues
- French meringue
- Swiss meringue
- Italian meringue
French meringue
I think French meringue is the simplest meringue to make. Unlike Swiss and Italian you do not need heat to make the meringue you whisk up eggs with sugar and bake it.
My favourite dessert to make with French meringue is pavlova. The meringue is chewy but so light and airy and just melt in your mouth. A pavlova is a great summer dessert with fresh berries and Chantilly cream.
How to make French meringue
- Preheat your oven to 120 degrees
- Start by adding your add whites into your mixer and start whisking, do not add sugar until your whites have started to whisk up as the sugar will drop to the bottom of the bowl and not incorporate
- Gradually add your sugar into your whites mixture (I like to add my sugar into 3 parts)
- Once all the sugar has been added and the meringue has reached stiff peaks, is glossy, it’s ready
- Line a baking tray with parchment paper and pipe or spoon on your meringue and bake for about an hour until crispy on the outside
Key points to remember when making French meringue is…
- Making sure your eggs are at room temperature as cold eggs reduce the volume in your meringue.
- Do not over whip your egg whites
- Cook your meringue on a low heat so it’s cooks in the middle but doesn’t burn on the outside
Swiss meringue
Swiss meringue is glossy, smooth and has a marshmallow like texture. I love making a Swiss meringue butter cream or little kisses for garnish on my desserts.
How to make Swiss meringue
- Bring a pan of water to boil and then turn it to a low simmer
- Mix your egg whites and sugar in a bowl and place over the water
- Keep stirring until the mixture reaches 72 degrees or if you don’t have a probe, until the sugar has dissolved. (You can test this by rubbing a bit of the mixture between your finger and thumb)
- Once the sugar has dissolved/reached temperature put the mix into a mixer and whisk until bright white, fluffy peaks and glossy – the meringue is now ready
Key points to remember when making Swiss meringue
- Make sure the sugar is dissolved otherwise you’ll have lumps in your meringue
- Ensure your pan of water is at a simmer and not a boil so it cooks the eggs evenly
Italian meringue
Italian meringue is my favourite meringue to use because it’s so smooth and stable. I use it in my buttercreams, mousses and to pipe onto lemon meringue tarts. It’s probably known as the most complex meringue but once you’ve made it you’ll realise it’s actually very simple and definitely the best.
How to make Italian meringue
- Put the sugar and water into saucepan over a medium heat
- Start whisking your egg whites until they reach soft peaks
- Heat the sugar until it reaches 121 degrees (I personally take mine off at 119 degrees as by the time I’ve added it to the mix it will be at temperature) and slowly add into the whisking egg whites
- Turn the whisk up and whisk the mixture until the bottom of the bowl feels warm to touch and your meringue is glossy and has reached stiff peaks
- The meringue is now ready to use
Key points to remember when making Italian meringue
- Make sure your meringue has reached soft peaks before adding the sugar syrup otherwise it might not whisk up
- Slowly heat your sugar syrup, boiling it may cause the sugar to crystallise and cause a lumpy meringue
If you’d like to master your meringue, take look at this Lemon meringue parfait recipe
