Savory Meringue Recipe: How To Make Fluffy Meringue That's Not Sweet - On The Gas | The Art Science & Culture of Food (2024)

FAQs

What happens if you put less sugar in meringue? ›

How much sugar and how much egg white do we need? According to most bakers, you'll need 30-60g sugar per egg white (we are assuming large eggs). The less sugar, the softer the meringue.

Food scientists believe that sugar helps more proteins gather on the surface of the air bubbles, making the bubbles even more stable. Did you know? Chefs also like to add acids while making a meringue to increase the amount of bubbles that it can hold, so that the meringue will become much lighter and fluffier!

Slow and steady is the fast and hard rule for any meringue. Start slow when whipping the whites for small and stable bubbles, slowly up the tempo so you don't over beat and then slowly add the sugar. This goes for your oven too. We're not cooking, so much as drying out the meringue.

One of the most common mistakes is not beating the eggs long enough, or on too slow a speed, which means the egg whites won't reach stiff peak stage and instead only reach a soggy droopy stage.

Crisp on the outside and moist and chewy on the inside, these low carb meringues are delicious little feats wonder! For best results, be sure to use a erythritol sweetener like Swerve.

Sugar is hygroscopic meaning it attracts and retains water, so the sugar syrup dries the whites giving the meringue stability in most any environment. If you reduce the sugar content you may end with an unstable meringue.

Fat residue in your mixing bowl or on the beaters of your mixer is the mortal enemy of meringue. Fat will impair the egg white's ability to be whipped into stiff, glossy peaks. You can prevent this disappointment with one teaspoon of white vinegar.

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.

Cream of tartar is an acid that stabilizes the egg whites and is what gives you those big, beautiful, billowy pillows of fluffy white meringue. To get science-y on you, it keeps the proteins from the egg whites from sticking together, which ensures a super-smooth meringue that will not wilt or deflate on itself.

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 cream of tartar or cornstarch better for meringue? ›

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.

Italian Meringue Recipe

This type of meringue is commonly known as the most challenging of the three to master, but with the right technique you can create delicious desserts topped with this fluffy Italian treat.

In the case of the meringues, adding the sugar at the start of mixing produced a cookie that was dull on the exterior, with a too-fine crumb within. The cookies made when the sugar was added at the very end had an overly airy texture (tasters compared it to Styrofoam) and a grainy consistency.

Over whip the egg whites and you risk making them too firm and they will risk losing the moisture that they hold. This will affect your meringue's crispness, as well as making it more likely to collapse or weep beads of sugar. As my meringue guru Gary Mehigan advises: “If you over whip the egg whites you cannot fix it.

Whip for about 10 minutes, checking once the meringue looks thick and glossy. Add the vanilla and salt after about 7 minutes, while the mixer is on. To check it, remove the whisk and turn it upside down: does the meringue droop or hold its shape? Once it holds stiff it is done.

Sugar – Can't have a meringue without the sweetness of sugar! Cream of tartar – Meringue's secret ingredient!

Don't use plastic bowls—they can retain a film of fat from previously mixed or stored items that can deflate the meringue. Don't make meringues on humid days. Humidity causes meringues to be sticky and chewy. Bake meringues at low temperatures because they tend to brown quickly.

The answer: surprisingly quite low. A typical pavlova recipe might have a ratio of 1/4 cup of sugar per egg white in the recipe. I found that I could cut the sugar in half with no noticeable impact on texture and taste. So I kept testing and reducing the sugar.

Gradually add sugar: When making meringue, it's important to add the sugar gradually while whisking the egg whites. This gradual addition helps stabilize the meringue and allows it to hold its shape better. If you added the sugar too quickly, it could have contributed to the runny consistency.