A french meringue is an ingredient made from what animal product whipped to stiff peaks

All About Meringue: French vs. Swiss vs. Italian Meringue

While all meringues are featherweight and ethereal, they’re not all created equally. Originating from different European traditions, we’re exploring the similarities and differences of all three types — French, Swiss, and Italian meringues. Plus, we have tips and tricks to making perfect meringues every time.

by Pamela Killeen

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The Three Types of Meringue

French Meringue

The simplest, most common or classic type of meringue is the French meringue. It’s made by beating egg whites until frothy or soft peaks form (they’ll barely hold their shape), then adding the sugar gradually to make sure it dissolves, while continuing to whip the whites. Once all the sugar has been added, you’ll whip the meringue to stiff peaks (they stand up and stay in place when the beater is lifted), or as determined by your recipe.

French meringue is the least stable but lightest of the three. Sometimes it’s poached or folded into batters for cakes or soufflés, etc. But typically this type is spooned or piped into cookies, Pavlova, or a desired shape, and baked low and slow. Once baked it becomes crisp yet airy and shouldn’t be brown.

French Meringue Tip: To avoid a dry, grainy texture and to lend stability, begin adding the sugar no later than the soft peak stage.

Swiss Meringue

Swiss meringue is a gently cooked meringue — the egg whites and sugar are (continually) whisked together and heated over a double-boiler until the sugar dissolves, the mixture starts to thicken, and it reaches about 130° on a candy thermometer (or as determined by your recipe). It’s then beaten, right away, off heat, until stiff, glossy peaks form and it feels cool to the touch.

It’s softer yet denser in texture than French meringue and is often used as a base for buttercream frostings, cookies, or Pavlova. Of the three types, this is considered the middle of the road in terms of stability.

Swiss Meringue Tip: To avoid scrambling the eggs, the water in the double-boiler should be simmering but not touching the bottom of the bowl of egg whites and sugar.

Italian Meringue

The sturdiest of the three types, Italian meringue is a cooked meringue. Use a candy thermometer to track the temperature as the egg whites cook. It involves making a sugar syrup (sugar and water) cooked to the soft-ball stage (238–240°), and slowly adding it to whipped egg whites, with the mixer running, until stiff, glossy peaks form and the meringue feels cool to the touch. It’s considered the most challenging to make because it not only involves the syrup, but the syrup must be ready at the same time as the whites. Thus, this may require raising or lowering the heat of the syrup and/or the speed of the stand mixer.

Italian meringue should have a soft and creamy texture — they’re usually used for buttercream or meringue frostings or for decorating pastries.

Italian Meringue Tip: So as not to splatter the syrup, pour the hot sugar syrup down the side of the mixer bowl or between the side and the beater, but not directly onto the beater.

Whip It Good: Meringue Tips and Best Practices

FRESHER EGGS produce a more stable meringue because they’re more viscous and more acidic, while OLDER EGGS produce more volume because they’re less viscous and less acidic.

COLDER EGG WHITES are easier to separate and make a more stable meringue, but they take longer to whip. ROOM TEMPERATURE EGG WHITES produce more volume because they’re easier to whip air into.

BREAK EGGS, one at a time, on a flat surface. Separate each egg into two small bowls — one for the yolk and one for the white. Make sure the white contains no traces of yolk, then transfer it to your mixing bowl.

FAT INTERFERES with the development of egg white foams (and egg yolks contain fat). THE MIXING BOWL, as well as the whisk or beaters, should be impeccably clean.

USE THE PROPER MIXING BOWL: Glass, stainless steel, or copper bowl are best to whip the egg whites. Avoid plastic, as it’s more porous and may unknowingly contain traces of fat.

EGG WHITES BEATEN in a copper bowl are more voluminous and stable because the copper reacts with the proteins in the whites the same way cream of tartar does.

IF USING A COPPER BOWL, don’t add a stabilizer, like cream of tartar, as it will be too acidic and will cause the egg whites to leach too much copper from the bowl.

ADDING A PINCH OF SALT to egg whites reduces viscosity, giving greater volume to the meringue. AND USE SUPERFINE SUGAR. It dissolves faster and creates a better textured foam than granulated.

YOU CAN START TO ADD THE SUGAR at the frothy stage, but the whites take longer to whip. You’ll get good volume faster if you add it when soft peaks form, but the foam can dry out if you wait too long.

AN EASY WAY TO TEST THAT THE SUGAR IS DISSOLVED is to rub a little of the meringue between your fingertips. It should feel smooth, not gritty.

YOU’LL KNOW IF YOU OVER-WHIP the meringue because it will be grainy, dull, dry, and start to clump, or it may begin to separate.

JUST WHIPPED MERINGUES are extremely fragile. They should be made right before they’re to be used. If they sit too long, they’ll start to break down.

Equipment/Special Ingredients Needed

Want to give this technique a try?

Check out our recommendations for the necessary equipment and ingredients to make this recipe. All products featured on Cuisine at Home are independently selected by our editors; we may earn an affiliate commission from qualifying purchases through our links.

KitchenAid Artisan Series 5-Quart Stand Mixer

Polder Candy Thermometer

Finedine Set of 6 Stainless Steel Mixing Bowls

OXO Good Grips 9″ Better Wire Whisk

All-Clad 2-Quart Double Boiler

Mauviel Copper 10-Inch Egg White Bowl with Ring

KitchenAid 7-Speed Digital Hand Mixer

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Different Kinds of Meringue: How to Make French Meringue

Yay! I did it! I finished my post on French meringue! Finally… I was a bit worried I was never gonna get it done. Not that writing about French meringue is hard or anything, it’s just that… well, um… Wait, let’s not bore you with the predicament-that-is-my-thesis again.

It’s getting kinda old…

Let’s just focus on the French meringue! This is actually the last post of my series: ‘The Different Kinds of Meringue‘ (and yes, I’m still proud of that title). In the past, I’ve dedicated series to buttercream, dulce de leche, caramelized white chocolate and pie crusts. I really enjoy doing series, can you tell? They are the perfect way to nourish my inner nerd without diving head first into a full-on panic attack, which is what happens to me when I attempt to do thesis-related nerdy things these days.

Oh, wait! I’m doing it again! Damn thesis…

Where was I… In case you missed it, the first post of this series was about Swiss Meringue, which is marshmallowy and dreamy. In the second post of the series I discussed Italian meringue, which is light and fluffy. If you haven’t read these first two posts yet, go do it now! Like: now, now, now! There’s important stuff in there. Like how to best freeze leftover yolks …

Read it? Good. On with the French meringue.

Oh, and you’ll need ingredients of course!

Luckily, you don’t have to be obnoxiously exact about it. Phew… Just know that traditionally, in baking, one egg white is said to weigh 33g (which is 33ml, or just over 2 tablespoons in volume). So keep that in mind when you decide to use baby eggs or those Godzilla eggs, because the egg white to sugar ratio determines the volume, strength and density of the finished meringue.

Anyway, what else do you need to make French meringue? You guessed it: sugar!

So tip of the day : if you happen to have a jar of molasses in your pantry, use a drop or two (less than ¼ teaspoon) to flavor your meringue! It’s soooo good!

Or should I say: dissolved sugar means stability?

The sugar can only strengthen the bubble walls if it’s dissolved into the liquid egg whites. Aka: when you’re making a meringue, it’s really important that the sugar properly dissolves into the egg whites.

When you’re make a Swiss meringue, you dissolve the sugar by combining the sugar and egg whites in a bowl and gently heating the mixture over a double boiler. The heat ensures that the sugar dissolves beautifully. When you’re make an Italian meringue, you dissolve the sugar in water and then cook it into a syrup. So no undissolved sugar crystals in that meringue either! Which brings me to the problem of French meringue: the sugar isn’t dissolved first. This can lead to a number of problems, such as a grainy or weepy meringue. So, to end up with a well-structured meringue that won’t start leaking, it is important that the sugar gets a chance to dissolve properly! Now, you can just take your chances with the sugar you have on hand, but it’s really easy to take a few precautions and make sure you end up with a gorgeous meringue.

First of all, get your hands on a fine type of granulated sugar, with small sugar crystals. You can buy fine granulated sugar in most supermarkets, but you can also use a food processor to break your regular granulated sugar down into smaller crystals.

Another thing I like to do when I make French meringue is spreading the sugar onto a baking sheet lined with baking parchment and heating the sugar in the oven until the edges of the sugar are just beginning to melt. Sure, this means firing up your oven, but I think that it’s totally worth it! It really helps to dissolve the sugar and create a gorgeously glossy, fluffy meringue!

Oh, and don’t be tempted to use powdered or icing sugar. These sugars are usually mixed with a small amount of cornstarch to keep it from caking in the container. You don’t want that in your meringue…

So how do you make French meringue?

Parfait! (Which is French for ‘perfect’).

Oh wait, first rub a bit of the meringue between your fingers to make sure there are no undissolved sugar crystals left. The meringue should not feel gritty. Undissolved sugar crystals promote weeping. So, if the meringue feels grainy, mix a few minutes more. Once the meringue is smooth, it probably holds stiff peaks, which is perfect for piping kisses or nests!

So here it is: French meringue!

So that’s it! The last post of my meringue series. I really hope you enjoyed the series as much as I did!

Oh, and stay tuned for my recipe for Chocolate Swirl Meringues with a Hint of Cinnamon! They’re so good!

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How to Make Meringue (French Method)

Learn how to make meringue with the easiest meringue making method, French meringue. French meringue is made with only two ingredients and can be made without cream of tartar. This style of meringue is delicate, light and tender.

FRENCH MERINGUE OVERVIEW

French meringue is the simplest form of all the meringue techniques. It is made simply by beating egg whites with sugar and does not absolutely require cream or tartar or another acidic ingredient.

French meringue, also sometimes referred to as simple meringue, is used frequently for folding into cake batters like chiffon cake and angel food cake to create an incredibly light texture. It can also be piped into various shapes for cookies or dessert shells.

What is Meringue?

The most basic definition of meringue is egg whites beaten into a foam with sugar to stiff peaks. There are 3 types of meringue- French Meringue, Swiss Meringue, and Italian Meringue. Each type of meringue has its own method and best uses.

Meringue, or a sweetened egg white foam, is used in so many different baking and pastry components. Meringue can be folded into cake batters to lighten them. Meringue can be used as a topping for a pie or tart. Meringue can also be used all on its own as a delicate cookie or an impressive pavlova.

French Meringue Basics

In its most simple form, french meringue is made with only egg whites and granulated or superfine sugar. It is the simplest preparation of all the methods and is the only form that is uncooked. This means it is also the most unstable.

French meringue is best used for folding into cake batters such as in angel food cake, used to make French macarons, or baked on its own into small preparations like meringue cookies or kisses. It can be used as a topping for a pie, but because it is the least stable I much prefer Italian meringue because it won’t weep as much on the pie.

Ratios

The ratios of sugar to egg whites varies depending on how the meringue will be used. The lowest sugar ratio used is typically a 1:1 ratio of egg white to sugar by weight. The higher the ratio of sugar the more stable the meringue will be, however, it will taste much more sweet and if baked the texture is more crisp is not as tender and melt-in-your-mouth.

If you do decide to use this preparation fir topping a pie you will want to use a higher ratio of sugar, usually 1:2 egg whites to sugar by weight, to create more stability where as if it is being baked for cookies less sugar can be used because the baking will set the meringue.

How to Make Meringue (The French Method_

Step 1: Make Superfine Sugar (*optional)

If you do not have access to superfine sugar, or castor sugar, it is best to make your own before utilizing this method. In a food processor process the sugar until it is very fine. This takes about 2 minutes.

This step is not absolutely necessary, but will help prevent any grittiness in your meringue.

Step 2: Measure Your Ingredients

Depending on your final use for this meringue it may or may not be important to actually weigh your ingredients very accurately.

If you are using your meringue as a topping on a pie then the exact ratios for your meringue aren’t really as important as if you were going to fold it into a cake batter or for macarons.

Step 3: Bring the Egg Whites to Room Temperature

Egg whites will whip to their highest and most stable peaks when they are at room temperature or slightly warm, so it is important to give them time. If you are in a rush, you can put un-cracked eggs in a bowl of warm water for about 5 minutes to take the chill off.

I have also used packaged liquid egg whites to make this foam and they also worked, however because they are pasteurized, I had to beat for much much longer.

Step 4: Begin by Whipping the Egg Whites

Make sure that the bowl you are using is clean and free from oil and place the egg whites in the bowl. You want to begin by whipping on a low speed which will allow the proteins to unravel and begin forming their network to trap the air bubbles.

It is optional, but a pinch of cream of tartar or a few drops of lemon juice or vinegar are often added here. These acidic ingredients, though not absolutely necessary, will lower the ph and in turn strengthen the proteins and create a more stable meringue.

Step 5: Very Slowly Add the Sugar

Once your whites have reached soft peaks, continue mixing on medium speed while adding the sugar in slowly. I add about 1 tablespoon at a time and wait about 15 seconds before the next addition. Not rushing this process is really key to making the mixture stable.

Step 6: Whip to Stiff Peaks

Watch the egg whites carefully and stop beating once you reach stiff peaks. The whites will look glossy and the whites should stand up straight with just a slight bend on the end. See the picture below for how the peaks should look.

If you take the whites too far the gloss will go away and they will start to break down, look dry, and begin separating. If you go this far you need to stop and start over! This is much more difficult to do with the higher ratio of sugar, but it is a little easier to go to far if you are using the 1:1 sugar ratio. The below picture is showing what broken meringue looks like.

Tips for Success

What Can you Make with Simple Meringue?

French Meringue

French meringue is the easiest meringue preparation with only two ingredients and just a few steps. This preparation can be used for baked meringues, pie toppings, folded into cake batters and many other uses!В

Ingredients

Instructions

Note regarding sugar quantity: The smaller amount of sugar will create a less stable meringue but one that is more melt-in-your mouth and tender after being baked. The higher quantity of sugar will create a much more stable meringue but one that is more crisp when baked. If utilizing this for a pie topping, opt for the higher quantity so it is less prone to weeping as quickly.

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Sweet Technique: How To Make French Meringue

It’s hard to crack open a pastry cookbook without encountering at least one recipe that calls for the use of French meringue. Since the seventeenth century, cooks have been using it as a natural leavening agent (an ingredient that provides rise and structure) for all kinds of desserts, including angel food cake, souffle, pavlova, baked Alaska, Eton mess and baked meringue cookies, just to name a few.

French meringue is one of the most simple, yet mysterious elements in the world of pastry. It consists of only four ingredients; egg whites, sugar, acid, and salt. These ingredients alone may seem unremarkable, but when combined together with the most critical element, forceful whipping, they become a marvel of chemistry and confection.

There are whole chapters of books devoted to the science involved, but for the sake of brevity, here’s the quick and dirty version. Egg whites are mostly composed of water and proteins. When they’re beaten, the normally tightly wound-up proteins (mostly ovalbumin) begin to unravel and stretch out, allowing them to link up with each other. This network of protein reinforces tiny air bubbles formed in the watery whites, creating a thick foam. As you continue to beat, the protein-strengthened walls of these bubbles are stretched thinner and thinner as more and more air is introduced until a critical ratio of air to water in the foam is reached. Suddenly, the walls begin to fail and the meringue takes on a broken appearance similar to dull, lumpy clouds. The addition of acid (in most cases, cream of tartar) helps strengthen the bonds between proteins, while sugar adds viscosity to the water, both of which make for stronger bubbles and prevent this lumpiness from occurring.

What does all this mean to you, the cook? When making meringue, vigilance is key, which means watching the egg whites carefully as they whip, adding the other ingredients at the proper times, and adding the sugar steadily and in small amounts, to ensure that you are stabilizing the meringue while the sugar to dissolves properly into the mixture. Cooks use all sorts of different approaches when making a French meringue, none of which are wrong, but I’ve found that the one I demonstrate here yields a reliably stable meringue with just a few steps.

Once you’ve mastered the French meringue technique, be sure to click over to this recipe for truly amazing, super-chocolate bomb, gluten-free chocolate chip meringue cookies.

Easy Candy-Striped Meringue Cookies

Published: Nov 16, 2019 · Modified: Jan 31, 2022 by Mimi · This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Easy candy-striped meringue cookies made with the French method. Using only a few simple ingredients, these meringue kisses make great edible gifts for Christmas, Valentines or any occasion.

Meringue Cookies for Christmas, Valentines or Any Occasion

(P.S. These meringues also look amazing piped into mushroom shapes for topping onto cakes and for use as sustainable Christmas table decorations, check out French Meringue Mushrooms and Pink Cotton Candy Meringue Kisses here.)

Easy French Meringue for Beginners

These meringue kisses are made using the French method for preparing meringue. In this method, sugar is simultaneously added to egg whites that are being whipped. Whereas in the Italian method, the sugar is first heated with water to create a syrup that is then added to egg whites that are being whipped. The French method is especially suited for beginners and many of you may already have experience making a French meringue from my Best Macaron Tutorial. You find all that practice you had making a strong and healthy meringue for macarons will now come in handy for these meringues cookies. For those of you who are new to making meringues, here are some tips below for mastering this little cookie.