UNMASKING MERINGUE: THE SCIENCE OF EGG WHITES AND SUGAR

A perfect meringue is an essential ingredient of perfect macarons. In fact, a

French macaron cookie shell is essentially made of two component recipes:
tant pour tant (which is a 1:1 mixture of almond meal and powdered sugar),
and a simple Italian meringue. For some, it may be helpful to understand how
meringue works in order to create the best possible meringue, and thus the
best possible cookie.

Beating the egg whites to form a medium-stiff meringue is a crucial step of

making successful macarons. Here’s why: when you beat an egg white, its
various proteins unfold and start to entangle to form a mesh that is held
together by bonds that stretch between various parts of the proteins. (These
include electrostatic bonds and sulfur-group bonds, as well as hydrophilic and
hydrophobic attraction.)

Structurally, a meringue becomes medium-stiff when the egg white proteins

have formed just enough bonds to create loose “cages” around water droplets
in the mixture, building a stable matrix of water held within a protein mesh.
When overbeaten, egg white proteins bond too tightly and squeeze water
droplets out, so the foam begins to separate.

There are various ways to stabilize meringue. The most common method is, of
course, to add sugar. Sugar in macaron cookies contributes not only to a sweet
taste, but also to structure. That’s because it helps stabilize egg white foam by
increasing the viscosity of water in the foam. This slows the rate at which water
can drain out of the the protein mesh, and it also stiffens the foam and makes it
thicker, so you won’t overwhip the proteins when trying to create stability. In
general, the more sugar you add to a meringue, the stiffer and glossier it will
become.

Choosing the right kind of sugar can also help optimize your meringue. Regular
granulated sugar is heavy, and it won’t dissolve as readily in the egg white foam
as would powdered sugar or simple syrup. Meringue made with granulated
sugar will likely be gritty, while powdered sugar and simple syrup create a
much smoother, glossier product. In addition, powdered sugar contains 10
percent cornstarch, which helps absorb surplus moisture and tightens the
foam. Aging the egg whites (discussed below) produces a similar effect, as the
egg white contains less moisture over time.

Another way to stabilize meringue is to introduce molecules that interfere with

bond formation. For this, one option is to introduce metal ions that disrupt the
bonding of sulfur molecules between proteins—just one of the kinds of bonds
created by whipping egg whites. Copper bowls have historically been used to
beat egg whites for this reason. Copper ions have a tendency to form bonds
with the reactive sulfur groups in egg white proteins, preventing them from
binding too tightly to other proteins. As a result, the foam is more stable
because it’s difficult to overwhip.

Alternatively, we can introduce acid to interfere with protein bonding. A small

amount of acid, such as lemon juice or cream of tartar, lowers the pH, which
means there’s an increase in the number of hydrogen ions in the foam. These
ions naturally bond to sulfur molecules in the proteins, which is helpful
because the hydrogen ions compete for bonds with the sulfur molecules that
would otherwise forge bonds between proteins. As a result, the overall protein
bonding potential decreases. (Note: Adding acid to a copper bowl tends to undo
the benefits of using a copper bowl—positive copper ions will instead tend to
interact with the negative counterions from the added acid, leaving them
unavailable to interact with and stabilize proteins in the egg white.)

Using room-temperature egg whites, aging the egg whites, and avoiding contact
with oils also help develop a better foam. Room-temperature egg whites more
readily facilitate protein unfolding to form the initial mesh that suspends water
droplets and air bubbles. Aging egg whites allows moisture to evaporate, and
the egg white also becomes more alkaline, making it easier to unwind the
proteins and whip them into shape. Aging egg whites can make a big difference,
but it should be done carefully and safely. The best way to do it is in your fridge
(inside the shells or in a sealed container), as aging them at room temperature,
though faster, will increase the risk of foodborne illness.

Finally, for best results, it’s important to avoid oils and hydrophobic materials
(like plastic or silicone bowls). The molecules in these materials can interfere
with the proteins’ ability to coat air bubbles, greatly reducing the amount of air
the proteins can hold, which means you get a much wetter foam that’s also less
stable.

A perfect meringue will be smooth, glossy, and white, and it can be prepared
well in advance and held in the fridge for several hours while you prepare the
other components of the macaron.