Meringues
Classic Homemade Meringues - crisp on the outside, soft and chewy in the middle. Made from just egg whites and sugar, these simple meringues are a timeless bake that’s perfect for topping pavlovas, making Eton Mess, or serving alongside cream and fresh fruit.
PRINT RECIPE
Servings: 6 meringues
INGREDIENTS
- 3 Free-range Egg Whites (see Egg Size note below)
- 150 g Caster Sugar
EQUIPMENT
- Electric Hand Whisk
- Piping Bag (optional)
INSTRUCTIONS
- Ensure all your equipment is clean and completely free from any grease before starting.
- Preheat your oven to 110°c (100°c for fan-assisted ovens, Gas Mark ¼ or 230°F). Line a
baking tray withgreaseproof paper and set aside. - In your clean bowl, whisk your egg whites until they reach soft peaks. Using an electric hand whisk is preferable, as it ensures a steady whisking speed and takes less time, although whisking by hand is, of course, possible too.
- Once your egg whites have reached soft peaks, continue to whisk them while adding the sugar a spoonful at a time, ensuring each spoonful is mixed in before adding the next.
- As you add the sugar, the mixture should start to thicken and become a glossy white. Continue mixing until all the sugar is added and the mixture has reached stiff peaks.
- Once the mixture has reached stiff peaks, you are ready to make your meringue shapes. You can use a piping bag to create uniform meringues, or simply spoon them into little mountains. This recipe will make about 4 large meringues, 6 medium meringues, or many small ones - depending on how small you go.
- Spoon or pipe your meringues onto the pre-lined
baking tray , leaving a little space between each. Place the meringues in your preheated oven and bake for 1.5-2 hours, depending on the size of your meringues (the smaller the meringues, the quicker they'll bake). - After the baking time, switch the oven off and leave the meringues in situ. Allow them to cool in the oven before removing them - this helps prevent the meringues from cracking due to the sudden change in temperature outside the oven.
IMPORTANT NOTE:
All my recipes are developed using a digital scale and the metric system (grams and millilitres). Cup measurements are available as a conversion but these, unfortunately, won't always be as accurate. For best results, I always recommend baking with a digital scale.
RECIPE NOTES:
Egg Size: When it comes to eggs, I always buy mixed-weight free-range eggs. Generally, egg size doesn't make a huge difference in most baking, unless you are using sizes that lean towards the extremes. If you're unsure which eggs to use, I recommend medium eggs in the UK, which are roughly equivalent to large eggs in the US. That's what this recipe has been tested with.
Substitutions:
- Eggs: For vegan meringues, use aquafaba (the liquid from a tin of chickpeas) in place of egg whites - around 3 tbsp per egg white.
- Sugar: Caster sugar is best for dissolving evenly into the egg whites, but you can use granulated sugar if that’s what you have - you'll just whisk for a bit longer. Golden caster sugar is also a great alternative for meringues with a more caramel flavour and a golden hue.
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