Italian Meringue

Italian meringue is a classic pastry preparation that sets itself apart from French meringue by being made with a cooked sugar syrup, which is added to whipped egg whites. Here’s how it’s made.

Ingredients

• 150 g of granulated sugar
• 50 ml of water
• 4 egg whites (about 120 g)
• 1 pinch of salt

Preparation

1. Begin by putting the sugar and water in a small pot and cook over medium-high heat until you get a syrup. To check the cooking, you can use a candy thermometer and wait for it to reach 121 °C, or you can perform the “soft ball” test: dip the tips of your fingers in cold water, take a little syrup with your fingers and form a ball with the syrup, it should form a small soft bubble.
2. Meanwhile, beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt until they become foamy. When the syrup has reached the correct temperature, start to slowly add it to the beaten egg whites, continuing to whip with an electric mixer or in a stand mixer until the meringue cools down and assumes a glossy, thick consistency. This process is important because it partially cooks the egg whites, making the meringue safer to consume and more stable.
3. Once ready, the Italian meringue can be used for decorations, for preparing desserts like Tiramisu, or simply enjoyed with a spoon.

For an Italian twist, you could flavor it with a bit of vanilla or add grated lemon or orange zest to scent it. It is also the base component for preparing a wide range of Italian pastries, such as the Italian-style Lemon meringue pie or a limoncello variant of Baked Alaska.

Curiosity

Italian meringue is very versatile and is also used in confectionery to prepare the famous “macaron” or as a topping for lemon meringue pie. Moreover, thanks to its particular stability, it is employed in some ice cream preparations, as it does not undergo significant alterations even at low temperatures.