If you make the lemon curd recipe I shared recently, you might also want this meringue recipe because it uses the exact number of egg whites leftover during the curd making process! Meringues are really easy to make, they just take a little patience. When I worked as a historical re-enactor (back when I was in my late teens and early twenties), I used to make meringues by hand. We needed to do something to entertain the tourists, but it felt like it took all day to beat these egg whites without the use of electricity.
Meringue Ingredients:
- 7 egg whites (fresh works best)
- 3/4 tsp cream of tartar
- 1 1/2 cup caster sugar (it’s superfine sugar)
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- A few drops of food coloring (optional, I like this all natural one)
How to Make Meringues:
Pre-heat the oven to 290°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Grab a very clean and dry mixing bowl (any grease or goo can hamper the process) and add the egg whites. Fresh egg whites work best, but make sure that no egg yolks have mixed with the whites. Using an electric mixer on medium, whisk the egg whites until they look foamy. Then add the cream of tartar and keep whisking until soft peaks begin the form.
Now it’s time to add the sugar! Add the sugar one spoonful at a time, continuing to whisk the egg whites. Slowly add the sugar and keep whisking. After about 10 minutes, soft peaks will begin to form and the meringue will look glossy. Make sure the sugar is fully mixed. Then beat in the vanilla extract and optional food coloring. I tinted mine a soft aqua color, just for fun, using this all natural food dye. But they’re pretty muted after they bake – the color became faded outside, but inside they are still a pretty aqua:
Using a spoon and scoop dollops onto the prepared baking sheets.
Bake for 2-3 hours, until the meringues are dry and not sticky. Turn off the oven and leave the meringues in the oven all day (if baking in AM) or overnight (if baking in PM).
Store in an air tight container. Enjoy!
P.S. Don’t Forget to Pin for Later!
