Vanilla Meringue Cookie Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the most stable meringue for cookies? ›

Italian meringue has a soft and creamy texture that is considered the most stable of the three types. Because it holds its shape so well, you can typically find Italian meringue piped on desserts like baked Alaska or pastries.

The bottom line: For smooth, stiff beaten egg whites that keep their shape, don't skip the cream of tartar. If you don't have cream of tartar, substituting 1/4 teaspoon lemon juice or white vinegar per egg white works almost as well. To avoid meringues that weep, don't skip the cream of tartar...

Chewy meringues, or pavlovas, have cornflour and vinegar added, which helps create that chewy centre. Pavlovas tend to have a slightly higher cooking temperature but shorter baking time.

Italian Meringue

Italian meringue is generally considered to be the most stable of the meringues (which makes it suitable for making frosting too), but also, the most difficult to make of the three meringue types. You'll also need a kitchen thermometer as your mixture has to reach a temperature of 115°C (very hot!).

Fat of any sort makes it harder to achieve stiff peaks in n a meringue, and it destabilizes the mixture so it collapses more easily. You can whip egg whites that have a drop or two of yolk, but it won't be the best meringue you can make.

Whether it be vinegar, lemon juice, cream of tartar, or a combination, an acid will greatly improve the structure of meringue. Acid not only helps meringue whip up and aerate more quickly, it also keeps it stable. Without acid, meringue is more likely to collapse either during or after mixing.

What is a Good Cream of Tartar Substitute when Making Meringues? You can substitute lemon juice for cream of tartar when making meringues. The substitution ratio is 1:2 — for your recipe's measurement of cream of tartar, use double that amount of lemon juice.

If you find yourself in a pinch in the kitchen, you can swap white vinegar for cream of tartar. This substitute works best when stabilizing egg whites for recipes like soufflés and meringues. Simply use an equal amount of white vinegar in place of cream of tartar when you're whipping egg whites.

Can I use brown sugar instead of white sugar in meringue? ›

This easy meringue is made with the typical egg whites and vanilla, but instead of white sugar, brown sugar is used, making the perfect topping for butterscotch, caramel, and banana cream pies. The process of making meringue is easy, but there are a few tips that need to be followed to achieve success.

The meringue collapsing is a result of dramatic changes in temperature either during baking or after.

How it's Made: The most stable of the meringues, this Italian meringue is partially cooked, either by pouring a cooked sugar syrup onto egg whites and gradually beating them or by whipping egg whites and sugar over a double boiler. Italian meringue needs to be heated to a temperature of about 150°F.

Whether it be vinegar, lemon juice, cream of tartar, or a combination, an acid will greatly improve the structure of meringue. Acid not only helps meringue whip up and aerate more quickly, it also keeps it stable.

French meringue is the least stable of the three meringue types but the lightest and the most airy.

Italian meringue is the most stable meringue with a dense, marshmallow-like texture. It is made by whisking together egg whites and a sugar syrup heated to 235-245°F (113-118°C). The sugar syrup is slowly poured into the egg whites while whisking, resulting in a shiny, voluminous meringue.