When I was a kid, I loved seeing the Three Stooges throwing pies in the face of innocent civilians. I really didn’t know what all the white stuff was on the pies, but it was many years later that I connected that wonderful stuff called meringue with that slapstick confection. Chef Jerry Pellegrino tells us it’s not too tough to make a good meringue?
Meringue is a light, airy, and sweet dessert made from whipped egg whites and sugar. It's a classic topping for pies, cakes, and other desserts, and can also be baked into cookies or used as a stand-alone treat. There are three main types of meringue: French, Swiss, and Italian, each with slightly different preparations and uses.
Here's a more detailed explanation:
BASIC INGREDIENTS:
Meringue is fundamentally a mixture of stiffly beaten egg whites and sugar.
Types:
French Meringue: Beaten egg whites with sugar added gradually, resulting in a soft, airy texture that needs to be baked. It's often used for cookies, Pavlovas, or as a topping for desserts.
Swiss Meringue: Egg whites and sugar are heated together over simmering water before whipping, creating a thicker, more stable meringue that can be used for frostings or fillings.
Italian Meringue: Hot sugar syrup is slowly whipped into stiffly beaten egg whites, resulting in a glossy, stable meringue that can be used in frostings or toppings.
BASIC MERINGUE
3 egg whites, at room temperature
¼ tsp cream of tartar
¼ cup granulated sugar
Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C).
Beat egg whites in a medium bowl with electric mixer until frothy. Add cream of tartar and beat until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in sugar, 1 tbsp (15 mL) at a time, until sugar is dissolved and stiff, glossy peaks form.
Spread over hot pie filling in decorative swirls.
Bake pie in preheated 425°F (220°C) oven until tips of meringue are golden brown, 4 to 5 minutes.
Makes topping for a 9-inch (23 cm) pie.
ITALIAN MERINGUE
4 large (142 grams) egg whites
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 3/4 cups (340 grams) granulated sugar
3/4 cup (170 grams) water
Vanilla extract, or other flavoring (optional)
Place the egg whites and cream of tartar into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whip attachment.
In a medium pot, combine the sugar and water and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Stir the mixture until it begins to simmer, but once it does, stop stirring (agitating the boiling sugar can cause it to crystallize). If any sugar crystals are visible on the sides of the pot, use a pastry brush dipped in cool water to brush them away/dissolve them. Continue to cook until the mixture read 230°F on a thermometer.
When the temperature reaches 230°F, start whipping the egg whites on medium speed—the goal is to get it frothy by the time the sugar syrup reaches 240°F.
When the sugar syrup reaches 240°F, raise the mixer speed to high, and gently pour the hot sugar syrup into the mixer—try to pour near the side of the bowl so that it slides down into the mixture—if you hit the whip, it flings the sugar around in the bowl and it doesn’t all get incorporated/can harden. Once all the syrup is incorporated, continue to whip until the meringue holds desired peaks (about 4 to 5 minutes for soft, 5 to 7 minutes for medium, 8 to 9 minutes for stiff). Add the vanilla (or other flavoring, if using) towards the end of mixing. Use immediately.
