Italian Meringue
Italian Meringue is one of fundamental meringues in pastry, the other two being French meringue and Swiss meringue.
In Italian Meringue, a hot sugar syrup is slowly poured into egg whites beaten to medium peaks, then continued beaten until stiff. The meringue is used as the base for buttercreams and mousses. It is also piped on desserts, such as tarts and Baked Alaska and then browned via a kitchen torch.
Italian Meringue
| Yield: 3 qts | # of Servings: 12 |
Ingredients
1 ¾ cup (12 oz / 340 g) sugar
3 fl oz water
2 oz corn syrup
1 cup (8 fl oz) egg whites, room temperature
Pinch of salt
2 tbl (1 oz / 28 g) sugar
Special tools and equipment needed:
- Instant read thermometer
- Stand mixer with whip attachment
- Pastry brush
Pre-recipe preparations:
- Place egg whites in mixer bowl with the whip attachment.
Directions:
- In a heavy bottom 1 to 1 ½ qt saucepan, combine sugar, water, and corn syrup, trying not to get sugar crystals on the side of the pan.
- Over medium heat, bring to a boil, washing any sugar crystals from the sides of the pan with a pastry brush dipped in cold water.
- When sugar reaches 220 °F (this happens quickly after it begins boiling) minutes start whipping the egg whites and salt on med-high speed.
- When whites reach soft peaks, slowly add the small amount of granulated sugar. Continue whipping to medium peaks.
- When whites reach 240 °F (3 to 3 ½ minutes after 220 °F) remove pan from the heat, and with the mixer on medium speed, pour the syrup in a slow, steady down the side of the bowl, between the whip and the bowl1.
- After all the syrup is added, continue beating on high for another minutes, the lower to medium and beat until thick and cool.
Notes:
The goal is to minimize the sugar syrup being thrown to the sides of the bowl by the whip.
