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    Home / Cake basics 101 / Frosting & filling

    French Meringue

    May 25, 2023 by Fadela This post may contain affiliate links

    Jump to Recipe· 5 from 1 review

    How to make a French meringue with this easy and foolproof recipe, for a smooth and firm meringue texture, perfect to fill or cover a cake, to decorate a lemon meringue pie, or make a berry pavlova recipe or small meringue cookies.

    bowl with baked meringue this recipe

    The French meringue is a basic recipe and a classic in French pastry, used as a frosting or as a filling in cakes, or as a baked version for small crunchy meringue cookies perfect to decorate your pastries.

    Among the 3 types of meringues known, this one is the easiest, because unlike the Swiss meringue or the Italian meringue which are more technical, here we simply whip sugar and egg whites until we obtain a shiny meringue with firm peaks.

    This is a very simple and quick recipe, follow my advice and tips to have a perfect and firm meringue and small crunchy meringues without cracks.

    Why we love this recipe

    • Step-by-step recipe with all my tips for success.
    • The easiest and fastest!
    • Easy to remember ratio = 1:2 (double the weight of the whites to get the amount of sugar to use).
    • Perfect for baked meringue and as a filling or frosting in your cakes and desserts.
    whisk with meringue batter

    Ingredient Notes

    Here is an overview of the ingredients needed to make this French Meringues recipe, scroll down to see the quantities in the recipe card.

    • Egg whites: room temperature egg whites without any trace of egg yolk.
    • Sugar: Use extra fine granulated sugar, preferably not powdered sugar or flavored sugar.

    Optional

    • Cream of tartar or white vinegar: As an option, the acidity helps stabilize the egg whites, for a more stable meringue that stays fluffy.
    • Chocolate: add cocoa powder for a chocolate meringue version.

    >> Don't throw away your egg yolks, use them to make a pastry cream or a lemon curd.

    ⚠️ You will find the quantities and complete instructions in the recipe card

    meringue cookies on a baking sheet

    How to Make an Easy Meringue Recipe

    Whip egg whites until stiff

    1. Beat the egg whites in the mixing bowl (glass or metal bowl) of your hand mixer or stand mixer with the whisk attachment on medium speed for 5 minutes until they start to bubble.
    2. Increase the speed of the mixer a little and beat again until you get soft peaks.

    Tip: Egg whites should be at room temperature and whip gradually until soft peaks form.

    large bowl with foamy eggs whites
    large bowl with egg white whipped

    Add sugar

    1. Add the caster sugar to the egg whites in small batches while keeping the mixer running at medium speed.
    2. Continue mixing for another 10 minutes until the sugar is fully incorporated.
    3. Then whip the meringue at high speed until stiff peaks form with a glossy and shiny texture.
    4. Use the meringue mixture immediately to fill or decorate cakes and pies or follow the baking step below to make baked meringues.

    Tip: Use extra fine sugar so that it blends in better, if after 10 minutes you still have grains of sugar, then extend the mixture for another 5-10 minutes.

    bowl with meringue mixture
    whisk with meringue mixture

    Baking

    • Preheat oven to 212°F / 100°C and prepare a baking sheet lined with baking paper.
    • Pipe your meringue with a piping bag and a decorating tip directly onto the prepared baking sheet.
    • Bake the meringues for about 1 hour, until they come away easily from the parchment paper.
    • Let them cool completely in the oven with the door open before placing them in a jar or using them for your desserts.
    baking sheet with meringue cookies

    What to do with meringue

    Here are some ideas for delicious recipes to make with this easy meringue recipe:

    • Berry pavlova or strawberry mini pavlovas
    • Cover a lemon meringue cake.
    • Decorate a lemon meringue tart or lemon curd tartlets.
    • In a glass jar, small baked meringue cookies with whipped cream and fruit.
    • In your ice creams or frozen desserts like vacherin.
    bowl with meringue mixture

    Tips and Recipe variations

    Room temperature: Baked meringues can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container box with a tight-fitting lid or a glass jar for several weeks.

    Use room temperature eggs: Essential to have a voluminous meringue. Separate your whites from the yolks when they are cold, then leave your whites out of the fridge to make the recipe.

    Clean your utensils properly: Any traces of grease in the bowl or whisk can prevent the whites from rising properly, so wipe them with a cloth soaked in white vinegar or wash them in hot soapy water.

    Use extra fine sugar: the sugar should ideally be completely incorporated into the whites to prevent the meringues from cracking or leaking during baking.

    Heat the sugar in the oven: at 392°F / 200°C for 5 minutes, and spread it on a baking sheet so that it melts more easily into the whites.

    Whip gradually: If the whites are whipped too quickly they will fall off as soon as they are baked. Whip gradually to get a nice shiny meringue with firm peaks.

    Add acidity: Meringue doesn't like fat but it likes acid! That's why you can add lemon juice (1 tsp for 100g of whites). Cream of tartar (1 pinch for 100 g of whites) or white vinegar (hence the advantage of cleaning the bowl with.

    bowl with meringue cookies

    Frequently Asked Question

    Ho to flavor meringue?

    Add natural or artificial flavors like vanilla extract, lemon juice, cocoa powder, coffee etc.

    How to color a meringue?

    By adding a few drops of food coloring gel or in powder form directly into the meringue.

    Why does my meringue ooze during baking?

    The sugar is not completely incorporated into the meringue, under the effect of heat the sugar melts and flows.

    Why is my meringue cracking?

    There are many reasons why a meringue may crack during baking, your oven may be too hot, you may have beaten the meringue too quickly or there may be a temperature shock at the end of the baking process.


    meringue cookies on a bowl

    Other recipes with meringue

    • Chocolate raspberry meringue cookies

    Did you like this recipe? Don't forget to rate it and leave me a review in the comments! And to not miss any recipes follow @sweetlycakes on Instagram and tag me to share it if you make this recipe 😊!

    Print
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    French Meringue


    5 from 1 review

    • Author: Fadela
    • Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
    • Yield: 30 meringues
    Print Recipe
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    Description

    How to make a French meringue (for about 25-30 meringues or a 8 inches 20 cm pie filling) 


    Ingredients

    • 100 g egg whites - about 3-4 whites at room temperature
    • 200 g (1 cup) Caster sugar - extra fine

    Instructions

      1. Place the room temperature egg whites in the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and beat on medium slow speed for 5 minutes until bubbly. 
      2. Increase the speed of the mixer a little and mix the whites again until you have soft peaks.
      3. While leaving the mixer running on medium speed, fold in the sugar 1 tablespoon at a time, leaving about 1 minute between each addition.
      4. Mix on medium-high speed for 10 minutes, until the sugar is dissolved (if you still have visible sugar grains, continue beating for another 10 minutes).
      5. Finish by beating the meringue on high speed for about 5 minutes and until you have a firm, glossy texture with stiff peaks (when you lift the whisk you should have a bird's beak that does not fall off).
      6. Use immediately to decorate desserts or follow baking instructions for baked meringue cookies.

    Baking :

      1. Preheat the oven to 212°F/ 100°C (fan oven) and prepare a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
      2. Fill a piping bag with all the meringue and pipe small piles onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 5 cm apart. 
      3. Bake the meringues in the oven for about 1 hour and until the meringues peel off the baking paper easily.
      4. Let the meringues cool in the oven with the door open.

    Equipment

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    Piping bag

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    Perforated baking sheet

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    Image of Stand mixer

    Stand mixer

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    Notes

    Storage: Several weeks in a storage box with a tight lid. 

    • Prep Time: 20 minutes
    • Cook Time: 60 minutes
    • Category: Dessert
    • Cuisine: French

    Nutrition

    • Calories: 14
    • Sugar: 3
    • Sodium: 3
    • Carbohydrates: 3

    Keywords: french meringue, meringue cookies, easy meringue, two ingredients meringue

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    Hello and welcome to my blog! Fully addicted to cakes, blogging, and beautiful pictures! I share with you on this blog some tips and my favorite baking recipes which I hope will help you to enjoy your loved ones!

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