Meringue

Egg whites whipped with sugar into a glossy foam, baked until crisp or used soft as a topping, filling or buttercream base.

Meringue: a mixing bowl of glossy, stiff white meringue with sharp upright peaks on a lifted whisk, a few small baked meringue
  • Chocolate, sugar and confectionery

There are three classic methods. French meringue is the simplest: sugar is beaten gradually into whipping egg whites. Swiss meringue warms the whites and sugar together over a water bath, to about 160°F (71°C), before whipping, which makes it denser and more stable. Italian meringue is made by pouring sugar syrup cooked to about 240 to 245°F (116 to 118°C) into the whites as they whip, giving the most stable foam, used in buttercream, mousses and macarons.

Any trace of fat or yolk stops whites from whipping well, so the bowl and beaters must be clean. A pinch of cream of tartar or a few drops of lemon juice helps the foam hold. Undissolved sugar or humid weather can make baked meringues weep or turn sticky.

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Related entries

Sources

Written by VanillaGoods in our own words from these sources. Last reviewed October 15, 2026.

  1. Picture Perfect Pies, K-State Research and Extension (Walnut Creek Extension District)
  2. Royal Icing Made Safe, Iowa State University Extension and Outreach (AnswerLine)
  3. How To Make Hard Meringues, American Egg Board
  4. Meringue (Q276276), Wikidata