Meringue is one of those recipes that looks almost too simple to be taken seriously — just egg whites and sugar, nothing more. Yet behind that simplicity lives a quiet discipline. It asks for clean bowls, steady hands, and time. No rushing, no shortcuts. You whip, you wait, you listen to the mixer change its tone, and you watch the mixture transform from something fragile into something confident, glossy, and full of life.
As it dries slowly in the oven, the kitchen fills with that gentle sweetness — not heavy, not loud, just present. The meringues emerge pale and delicate, crisp on the outside, light as air within, almost dissolving the moment they touch your tongue. They don’t demand attention, but they reward it. Paired with sharp berries, soft cream, or a spoonful of curd, they bring balance rather than excess.
This is meringue in its purest form — honest, restrained, and quietly beautiful. A reminder that some of the most memorable desserts aren’t built on complexity, but on patience, respect for the process, and letting simple ingredients speak for themselves.
Crisp outside, light and airy inside
Ingredients (makes ~8–10 medium meringues)
- 4 large egg whites (room temperature)
- 200 g caster sugar
- 1 tsp cornflour
- 1 tsp white wine vinegar or lemon juice
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Pinch of fine salt
Method
- Prep
- Preheat oven to 100°C (fan 90°C).
- Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
- Whip the egg whites
- Place egg whites and salt in a clean, grease-free bowl.
- Whip on medium speed until soft peaks form.
- Add the sugar
- Increase speed slightly and add the caster sugar one tablespoon at a time, allowing each addition to fully dissolve.
- Continue whipping until the meringue is thick, glossy, and holds stiff peaks.
- Finish the mix
- Gently fold in the cornflour, vinegar (or lemon), and vanilla.
- Do not overmix — just enough to combine.
- Shape
- Spoon or pipe meringues onto the tray.
- For nests: create a small dip in the centre with the back of a spoon.
- Bake (dry, don’t bake)
- Place in the oven and cook for 1 hour and 30 minutes.
- Turn the oven off and leave the door slightly ajar, allowing the meringues to cool completely inside (minimum 1 hour, overnight is best).
Variations
- Chocolate meringue: Fold in 1 tbsp cocoa powder at the end
- Coffee: Add 1 tsp espresso powder
- Lemon: Increase lemon juice to 2 tsp, skip vanilla
- Chewy centre: Bake 10–15 minutes less and cool fully
Nutritional Values (per meringue, approx.)
- Calories: 95 kcal
- Protein: 2 g
- Carbohydrates: 23 g
- Sugar: 22 g
- Fat: 0 g
- Fibre: 0 g
Chef’s Note
Meringue teaches patience. You can’t rush the sugar, you can’t fight the oven, and you can’t cheat the cooling. But when you respect the process, it gives you something almost weightless — crisp, sweet, and beautifully fragile. This is one of those basics every chef should master, because simplicity done right is always impressive.
