Vanilla Meringues
Updated May 7, 2023
Evan Sung for The New York Times
- Total Time
- 2 hours 20 minutes, plus 1 hour’s cooling
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
Advertisement
Ingredients
2 egg whites, at room temperature
2 pinches cream of tartar
⅛ teaspoon salt
½ vanilla bean, seeds scraped from pod; or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup superfine sugar.
Nutritional analysis per serving (24 servings)
4 grams carbs; 17 calories; 15 milligrams sodium; 4 grams sugar
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Powered by
Preparation
- Step 1
Heat oven to 200 degrees. Use an electric mixer to beat egg whites with cream of tartar, salt and vanilla. When whites begin to hold stiff peaks, gradually add half the sugar. When peaks become glossy, gently fold in remaining sugar.
- Step 2
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and use a pastry bag with a star tip or a Ziploc bag with a corner cut out to form small mounds of meringue mixture, each about an inch wide and tall.
- Step 3
Bake meringues until hard, about 2 hours. Meringues are ready when they release from parchment paper. Turn oven off, prop door open and allow meringues to sit in oven for another hour or so.
Private Notes
Comments
I was wondering the same thing! Here's what I found:
For chocolate meringues: Omit vanilla and sift 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder with half the sugar. Add to egg whites, cream of tartar and salt. Continue with Step 1.
For pink vanilla meringues: After adding the first 1/4 cup sugar, add a drop or two of pink or red food coloring to mixture. Continue with Step 1.
(Source: http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=940DE3DE133BF934A25751C1A...
I made these and they were wonderful! I added some lavender syrup to one batch and some rose syrup (both Monin brand) to another and they were fantastic! I had to add a little food coloring as well, so I could differentiate between the lavender, rose, and vanilla meringues. I will be making these again very soon. They are definitely kid and adult approved! Great recipe!
This is a great recipe. I usually bake mine for 1.5 hours, and then turn the oven off, but leave the door closed overnight. In the morning, the meringues are wonderfully dried out and they keep for at least a few days in an airtight container. I like using almond extract instead of (or in addition to) the vanilla -- makes a nice round taste.
This made a million meringues. Way more than 2 dozen at 1 inch each. Or is my inch different?? Otherwise was great and will be eating them for days.
How long do you beet the mixture?
First recipe on my first stand mixer and the first time using a piping bag. I used AI to assist. It gave me the mixing time to expect and the mixer speeds to use. Also, that folding in was not continuing to whisk, but folding in manually. Results were great. Recommended for first-timers.