A good meringue recipe is a very useful thing to have in your repertoire. I was about 22 when I first made a meringue. They seemed somewhat tricky to perfect, and I had steered a wide birth until one evening, when my flatmate at the time made some for a joint dinner party we were hosting, and I soon realised that I had nothing to worry about.
Recipes for meringue vary enormously; some add vinegar, some add cream of tartar, and I’ve never followed any of them, choosing to make meringues using just egg white and sugar. This gives a lovely crisp outer shell, and a soft, fluffy interior which quickly becomes chewy after a day or two.
I use fresh, large egg whites and raw sugar to make my meringues. Good quality raw unrefined cane sugar is something I insist on. Raw, unrefined sugar has a more complex flavour profile than your buy carisoprodol canada typical white Caster sugar, and so it imparts a deeper, richer flavour to the meringue, with nut and caramel undertones. The difference in flavour is subtle, but noticeable.
In terms of appearance, raw, unrefined sugar gives the most elegant colour. I like to pipe my meringue (as photographed), as I love the effect. A box of small meringues is a very useful thing to have in the kitchen. From a quick weeknight pudding paired with fruit and cream, to a an easy dinner party pudding, such as Mont Blanc, they are so useful to have, a fun thing to make, and an important recipe to know.
I’m trying out some recipe cards on the blog, which I hope will allow you to print my recipes and use in the kitchen, which some of you have written to me to tell me you’d like to see. Please let me know what you think!
- 4 egg whites (from large, free range, preferably Organic eggs)
- 225g raw Caster sugar
- Preheat the oven to 150C/130C Fan/Gas Mark 2. Line two baking trays with non-stick baking paper and set aside.
- Place the egg whites into a spotlessly clean bowl. Whisk until fluffy using an electric whisk or stand mixer. Add the sugar, a couple of tablespoons at a time and whisk vigorously until stiff. This will take around 10 minutes. The meringue will need to be very thick and stiff.
- Spoon or pipe onto the baking sheets. You can make the meringues as large or small as you like, or even one large one to make a pavlova. Cook in the oven for 1 hour. Turn off the oven and leave for a minimum of 6 hours in the oven, with the door closed. I like to make these last thing at night and then leave them overnight.
- Once fully cooled and dried out, they are ready to eat. They keep well, but must be stored in an airtight container, and are best eaten within a week.
Meringues are so versatile and I don’t think I have tried making them with raw sugar but imagine the flavour is far better than regular sugar. I must try to pipe mine too, yours look so pretty!
Thank you so much Laura. Hope you enjoy them if you make them!
Hi Charlotte,
I made this recipe a week ago for a special birthday party. My 102 year old friend loved them. She doesn’t like cream and I wanted to incorporate her favourite flavor of lemon so I sandwiched two piped meringues together with home made thick lemon curd.
So delicious. Wish I’d taken a photo to post.
I’m now making a second batch for Father’s Day (in Australia) I hope they turn out as well.
Thanks for the great, easy recipe. I’m going to investigate more of your yummy looking recipes.
Kind regards,
Janet.
Canberra.
Hi Janet, that is such wonderful news. I’m so glad you liked the recipe. Thanks a million for sharing. Best wishes, Charlotte
Hi again Charlotte,
I’ve just put my fifth batch of raw sugar meringues in the oven. I can now make them with my eyes closed and they my “go to” recipe for all occasions.
I’m so grateful for this amazing recipe. Three birthdays are coming up and I’ve decided to make Pavlovas. Hope they turn out as well as the meringues.
Best wishes,
Janet
Hi Janet,
That’s such great news, thank you. I am SO delighted to hear you like the recipe and have made it many times successfully. It’s just the best thing to hear as a food writer!
I hope your birthdays all go well.
Best wishes,
Charlotte