Recipe Rescue: Meringues won’t form peaks - Crosscraft Blog (2024)

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Recipe Rescue: Meringues won’t form peaks - Crosscraft Blog? ›

If you're making French meringue and having trouble whipping up those signature glossy peaks, try folding in another whipped egg to give some extra lift. Forming a paste from a tablespoon of cornstarch dissolved in ⅓ of a cup of water may also help.

For egg white peaks that refuse to stiffen, check that no yolk has slipped into the mixture. Clean the mixing bowl and beaters thoroughly, leaving no trace of residual grease, like butter or oil. Do not use a plastic mixing bowl. A pinch of salt or cream of tartar will accelerate the stiffening.

It can take a while for a meringue to reach stiff peaks and for the sugar to dissolve—about five minutes with a hand mixer. If the sugar has not dissolved (for example, if it tastes gritty), keep beating.

Fixing runny meringue is usually as simple as whisking more air into the mixture and waiting for it to develop stiff peaks. You can also add another egg white or a teaspoon of cornstarch to get the mix to the consistency you need.

A small amount of acidic ingredient, such as cream of tartar, acts as a stabilizing agent. A bit of lemon juice or vinegar will also work. Salt decreases egg-white foam stability, so it is not used in hard meringues. Add sugar gradually.

Cream of tartar stabilizes the tiny bubbles in the egg whites, by precluding the egg proteins from sticking together. It thus speeds up the egg white whipping process and contributes to a stable, billowy, glossy meringue, perfect for cookies, topping pies, and folding into cake.

One of the most common mistakes is not beating the eggs long enough, or on too slow a speed, which means the egg whites won't reach stiff peak stage and instead only reach a soggy droopy stage.

You can't overbeat meringue – It's true! You can't ruin it by mixing too much, so once all of the sugar is added, be sure that it is glossy and that you have super firm, stiff peaks when you remove the beater from the mixer. Don't be afraid to mix a little longer if it appears too soft.

Excess moisture in the air can seep into meringues and make them soft, even after they are baked, which is why it's best to avoid making meringue on damp days.

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Turn the whisk around and examine the bottom of the meringue that was collected on the whisk. It should have soft but distinct formed waves on the bottom. If the meringue is chunky, the waves are chunky, or there are too many little hard peaks all over the meringue, that means you've over whipped.

If you're making French meringue and having trouble whipping up those signature glossy peaks, try folding in another whipped egg to give some extra lift. Forming a paste from a tablespoon of cornstarch dissolved in ⅓ of a cup of water may also help.

Make sure that no egg yolk is in with the egg whites. Egg yolks are very high in fat and will hinder the whisking process. Cream of tartar is an acidic powder extracted during winemaking. It is used to stabilize egg white foams and increases their heat tolerance.

Acid. Whether it be vinegar, lemon juice, cream of tartar, or a combination, an acid will greatly improve the structure of meringue. Acid not only helps meringue whip up and aerate more quickly, it also keeps it stable. Without acid, meringue is more likely to collapse either during or after mixing.

Make sure that no egg yolk is in with the egg whites. Egg yolks are very high in fat and will hinder the whisking process. Cream of tartar is an acidic powder extracted during winemaking. It is used to stabilize egg white foams and increases their heat tolerance.

If it is very wet or humid weather then the meringues will overall be softer as the meringues will absorb moisture from the air and it is better to try and avoid making meringues under these conditions.

Turn the whisk around and examine the bottom of the meringue that was collected on the whisk. It should have soft but distinct formed waves on the bottom. If the meringue is chunky, the waves are chunky, or there are too many little hard peaks all over the meringue, that means you've over whipped.

If you find yourself in a pinch in the kitchen, you can swap white vinegar for cream of tartar. This substitute works best when stabilizing egg whites for recipes like soufflés and meringues. Simply use an equal amount of white vinegar in place of cream of tartar when you're whipping egg whites.