A classic meringue to crown cream and custard pies. Best with Madagascar vanilla (rich, creamy, classic); any pure vanilla works. Makes enough to top one 9-inch pie.
Classic Meringue
Baking
Pies tarts
Origin: Madagascar
Vanilla: Extract
Medium
A classic meringue to crown cream and custard pies. Best with Madagascar vanilla (rich, creamy, classic); any pure vanilla works. Makes enough to top one 9-inch pie.
Prep
15 min
Cook
17 min
Cool
1 hr
Total
1 hr 32 min
Servings
8
Diet
—
Ingredients
Adjust yield
servings
Ingredient amounts change with yield. Follow the recipe instructions for times, temperatures, and equipment.
- 4.0 (132.0 g)large egg whites, at room temperature
- ¾ cup (150.0 g)granulated sugar
- ¼ tsp (1.2 ml)cream of tartar
- 1.0 tsp (5.0 ml)VanillaGoods pure vanilla extract
Make it at home
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Instructions
- Heat the oven to 350°F. Have the pie filling hot, or freshly made, in its baked crust.
- Whisk the egg whites, sugar, and cream of tartar in a heatproof bowl set over simmering water until the sugar dissolves and the mixture reaches 160°F, 3 to 5 minutes.
- Transfer to a mixer and whip on high speed until stiff, glossy peaks form and the bowl feels cool, about 5 minutes. Beat in the vanilla.
- Spread over the filling, sealing it to the crust all the way around so it doesn't shrink, and swirl into peaks.
- Bake until the peaks are golden, 10 to 12 minutes, or brown with a kitchen torch. Cool at room temperature for 1 hour, then refrigerate.
Tips
- Vanilla swap: use vanilla bean paste 1:1 in place of the extract for visible specks, or the seeds of 1 vanilla bean for each tablespoon of extract.
- Best vanilla for this: Madagascar (rich, creamy, classic), or Mexican (spiced, warm, woodsy). Any pure vanilla works.
- Storage: Refrigerate meringue-topped pie and serve within 2 days.
Recipe FAQ
How long does it take to make classic meringue?
Plan on 15 minutes of prep and 17 minutes of cooking, plus 1 hour to cool. It makes enough to top one 9-inch pie.
How should I store classic meringue?
Refrigerate meringue-topped pie and serve within 2 days.
Can I use a different form of vanilla?
use vanilla bean paste 1:1 in place of the extract for visible specks, or the seeds of 1 vanilla bean for each tablespoon of extract.
Estimated · per serving
Nutrition
Per serving = 1 of 8 servings this recipe makes.
83
Calories / serving
0.0g
Fat
18.9g
Carbs
1.8g
Protein
18.9g
Sugar
Whole recipe (8 servings): ~664 cal · 0g fat · 151g carbs · 14g protein · 151g sugar
Estimated values per serving, calculated from standard ingredient data. Not verified Nutrition Facts; actual values vary with brands, measurements, and preparation.
Per serving · 83 calories
What it takes to burn one serving
- Brisk walking 16 min·0.9 mi·~1850 steps
- Walking uphill or incline treadmill 11 min·0.6 mi·~1100 steps
- Moderate cycling 8 min·1.6 mi
- Swimming laps 12 min
- Jogging 8 min·0.7 mi·~1300 steps
- Stair climbing 8 min·~700 steps
- Dancing 13 min
- Bodyweight circuit training 8 min
- Cleaning, errands, or playing with the dog 19 min
Rough estimates for one serving, based on standard MET values at about 155 lb. Your own burn depends on body size, effort, and fitness. Shown for context only — food is not something you have to earn.
Made with VanillaGoods
Recipe Rating
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