Meringues 101

My darling friend, Karina, asked me for the step-by-step instructions on how I make my meringues so here they are.

What you’ll need:

3 egg whites, at room temperature

1/3 cup powdered sugar

1/3 tsp. fresh lemon juice

Optional: 1 tsp. vanilla extract, 1 tsp. cocoa powder or 2 oz. very finely chopped dark chocolate

Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper – can be found in any supermarket near the foil and plastic wrap. Set aside. Preheat the oven to 250 degrees.

Either use a stand mixer which will make your life a whole lot easier or beat by hand. Either way, make sure the bowl and whisk are completely and totally dry.

Separate the egg whites from the yolks, carefully making sure that none of the yolk mixes with the white. Place the egg whites into the bowl with the lemon juice and beat just until foamy. Now add the sugar and the vanilla or cocoa if you choose to use it. Beat the mixture until soft peaks form <- this means that when you pick up the whisk the foam holds a soft peak. If you chose to use the chocolate fold it in at this point, very gently! (I keep reminding you to be careful and gentle because any extra activity can potentially ruin the final product.)

If you have a pastry bag, use it to pipe out the meringues by about a tablespoon. If you do not have a pastry bag just use a tablespoon. Make sure to space the meringues 1 inch apart to avoid them sticking to each other. Bake for 30-40 minutes, until the tops become golden brown and remove from oven. Cool completely before removing from cookie sheet. Make sure to store these in an airtight container as any moisture in the air will deflate them and make the meringues soggy.