Martha Stewart Basic Italian Meringue

Martha Stewart basic Italian meringue turns sugar, egg whites and a hot syrup into a thick, glossy, marshmallow-like meringue in about 25 minutes. It's an easy dessert topping with few ingredients for Baked Alaska, lemon pie or holiday dessert tables, and it's torch-ready and make-ahead friendly.

Pour the hot syrup down the side of the bowl in a slow, thin stream while the mixer runs on low. Dump it in too fast and it scrambles the whites or splatters onto the whisk.

Martha cooks the sugar syrup to 248°F and beats it into the whites until the bowl stops steaming. That heat cooks the egg whites, so the meringue is safe to eat as is and holds its shape far longer than a French meringue.

Martha Stewart Basic Italian Meringue

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Course: DessertCuisine: American, ItalianDifficulty: Medium

Servings

8

servings

Prep time

10

minutes

Cooking time

15

minutes

Calories

70

kcal

Hot sugar syrup streams into foamy whites and whips up into a thick, shiny meringue with stiff peaks. It holds its shape for torching, baking or freezing.

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup sugar
  

• 1/4 cup water
  

• 1 1/2 tablespoons light corn syrup
  

• 3 large egg whites, room temperature
  

• Pinch of salt and cream of tartar
  

Directions

• Cook the sugar syrup: Bring 3/4 cup sugar, 1/4 cup water and 1 1/2 tablespoons light corn syrup to a boil in a small saucepan, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Then cook it undisturbed until a candy thermometer reads 248°F.
• Foam the egg whites: While the syrup cooks, whisk 3 large room-temperature egg whites with a mixer on low speed. Keep going until they turn foamy.
• Whip to soft peaks: Add a pinch of salt and a pinch of cream of tartar, then raise the speed to medium. Whisk for about 8 minutes, until soft peaks form.
• Stream in the syrup: Reduce the mixer to low and pour the hot syrup down the side of the bowl in a slow, steady stream. Pouring along the side keeps it from hitting the whisk and splattering.
• Beat until glossy: Turn the mixer up to high and beat for about 3 minutes, until the meringue stops steaming. Use it right away while it's thick and shiny.

Tools for this recipe

• Cuisinart MultiClad Pro 3-quart saucepan, KitchenAid Artisan 5-quart stand mixer, ThermoPro instant-read thermometer. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

FAQs

Why does the recipe call for room-temperature egg whites?

Room-temperature whites whip up faster than cold ones and reach more volume. If you forget to set them out, sit the eggs in a bowl of warm water for 10 minutes before separating.

Can I make Italian meringue without a candy thermometer?

You can, but a thermometer takes out the guesswork, because 248°F is the firm-ball stage that gives this meringue its stability. Without one, drop a bit of syrup into ice water and check that it forms a firm ball you can press between your fingers.

What can I do with Italian meringue?

It's the most stable of the three meringue types, so it works for toppings, buttercream, meringue pies and mousses. Martha suggests smoothing it over Lemon Meringue Pie or finishing individual Baked Alaskas, then browning it with a kitchen torch or in the oven.

Is Italian meringue safe to eat without baking it?

Yes, because the 248°F sugar syrup cooks the egg whites as it's beaten in. That heat is why you can use it straight from the bowl, with no extra cooking.

What's the most common mistake when making Italian meringue?

Pouring the syrup too fast or onto the whisk is the usual culprit. Keep the mixer on low and stream it down the side of the bowl, then beat on high until the steam stops.