This will be your new go-to basic meringue – fluffy on the inside, crisp on the outside! It's perfect for school fetes, morning tea, or you can even use them as a cake decoration!
Ingredients
- 1 cup caster sugar
- 4 egg whites brought to room temperature
- 1/2 tbs vanilla essence
- 1 tsp cornflour
- 1/2 tsp white vinegar
- 3 drops liquid food colouring optional
Method
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Step 1Preheat oven to 100C.
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Step 2Beat the egg whites until soft peaks form.
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Step 3Continue beating and gradually add the sugar.
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Step 4Beat for approximately 2-3 minutes after all of the sugar has been added.
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Step 5The mixture should look glossy and form long stiff peaks.
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Step 6Add the cornflour, vanilla essence, vinegar and food colouring and beat until just combined.
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Step 7Line 2 oven trays with baking paper and pipe or spoon the mixture onto the trays.
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Step 8Bake for 1½ hours, switching the trays in the oven about halfway through cooking.
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Step 9Turn the oven off and leave to cool in the oven for about 3 hours or until completely cooled.
Equipment
- 2 heavy-based oven tray
- 1 baking paper
Recipe Notes
Can be kept for about a week if stored in an airtight container in a dark cupboard. Meringues with about a 4 cm base work best, leaving a 3 cm gap between each meringue. It is important to make sure your mixing bowl is clean and completely dry.
Last time I made meringues, they turned dark in the oven. How can I keep my meringues white?
The secret to a snowy white meringue is to cook it at a low temperature in the oven - too hot and it will start to colour. 100C is the perfect temperature.
Why do I need to add vinegar to my meringue?
Vinegar helps the eggwhites in your meringue become more stable, so the meringue holds its shape, and it can also help create that lovely fluffy interior. Because you only add a little vinegar, it shouldn't affect the flavour.
Recipe Reviews (2)
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