A confection of whipped egg whites and sugar — baked low and slow to produce crisp shells, piled on lemon tart, or swirled into soft peaks on pavlova and baked Alaska; three distinct types with different ratios and techniques.
Three types
French meringue — egg whites beaten with caster sugar added gradually. Raw, unstable, must be baked immediately. Used for pavlova and meringue cookies.
Swiss meringue — egg whites and sugar heated together over a bain-marie to 60°C (pasteurising the egg), then beaten until stiff. Silkier and more stable than French. Used for buttercream and pie topping.
Italian meringue — hot sugar syrup at 121°C poured over beating egg whites in a thin stream. Produces the most stable meringue; safe to eat without further baking. Used for baked Alaska, macarons, and frosting.
The physics
Egg white foam is a matrix of proteins (primarily ovalbumin and conalbumin) stretched around air bubbles. Sugar stabilises the foam by dissolving in the water surrounding the protein network, raising viscosity and slowing bubble collapse. Cream of tartar lowers pH, which strengthens the protein bonds.
Weeping and humidity
Meringue “weeps” — forms beads of syrup — when the sugar has absorbed atmospheric moisture. This is why meringue-topped pies should be assembled and served the same day, and why meringue baking is best done in low humidity. The hollow shells (vacherin) can be stored in an airtight container for weeks if perfectly baked and dry.
Pavlova connection
Pavlova is a meringue variant with a crisp shell and a soft, marshmallow-like interior — achieved by adding a small amount of cornflour and vinegar to the meringue before baking. Debated as either New Zealand or Australian in origin.
Find more foods by letter
Meringue starts with M and ends with E. Browse other foods along the same letter.
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