Building the Perfect Meringue

Making a meringue is a critical tool in your baking tool set.  Before too long the process of making each method of meringue should be second nature such that you can formulate, scale, make, and use them without much additional thought.

This is a two-part series were we discuss the basics of getting started with meringues, the methods used, why ratios matter to the process and final product. Later we venture more deeply into coloring, additions, meringue methods and how sugar to egg white ratios impact the final product.

Take a look at this example from Fine Cooking showing the visual difference between Soft, Medium, and Stiff (Firm) peak.  It’s all in how the small peak of meringue folds over on itself (or doesn’t).

Meringue Peaks from Fine Cooking