Prep time :
20 mins
Servings :
10 servings
Cook time :
10 mins
Total time :
25 – 30 mins
How to make a swiss meringue ?
I have tried other meringue recipes as well but this way of making it is my favourite. This is an easy to make recipe and i always get perfect spikes that goes perfect with all the desserts like cupcakes, fruit cakes , and in fact any other cakes. For me however, the idea of getting a perfect meringue has come with making my french lemon pie. Lemon pie , that is called “tarte au citron” in France is a classic and very popular dessert in France and often it is made with a meringue and this is often found as “tarte au citron meringuée“. There is a different way of making the french meringue but somehow I prefer the swiss meringue for my tarte au citron.
This meringue can be done with just four ingredients and yes, this might be a few steps more to follow than making a french meringue but it’s all worth the effort and time.
Why swiss meringue ?
I think this is just about a personal preference and it all depends on your taste. I always had this weird problem with raw eggs. I don’t know why, but I can smell the egg even when it is already turned into a dessert. That is the reason i prefer my swiss meringue and i use this even on my french lemon pie. This meringue is made by melting the sugar with the egg whites using the double boiler method, which cooks the egg whites just enough to remove that smell. I have also found that I don’t feel the sugar on my mouth as it is already melted. In the other hand, I feel like the meringue spikes formed are very shiny and stable enough. It is almost like a fluffy marshmallow.
Key steps of making this swiss meringue :
- Separate egg whites
- Mix egg whites and sugar using double boiler method
- Mix with a stand mixer till youi get the meringue
Ingredients needed :
- 3 large egg whites
- 150 grams sugar
- A pinch of salt
- Vanilla extract or vanilla sugar
Special equipment :
A stand mixer ( I have a kitchen aid stand mixer that i absolutely love)
Step by step method :
Just for information : For me, this is the perfect amount of meringue I would need for a lemon pie.
- First separate the eggwhites on a large stand mixer bowl.
- Add the sugar and using the double boiler method, start mixing them together with a whisk. Double boiler methos is when you don’t heat your ingredients directly, this means that you boil water in a saucepan and tou place the bowl over the boiling water to melt the sugar without cooking the eggwhites. Make sure that the bowl is not touchinbg the water. It is a slow heating method, so we will use the heat from the steam. Keep whisking the mix till the sugar is melted.
- As soon as the sugar is completely melted, take the bowl away from the haet, add a pinch of salt and a spoon of vanilla extract or vanilla sugar.
- Start mixing on medium speed and after about 2 minutes, when it starts to foam, increase the speed to high.
- Mix for about 10 minutes till you see the good stable spikes.
- Serve fresh , refrigerating the meringue for a long period of time is not a very good idea as it will lose it’s fluffy texture with time.
