Italian Meringue

Meringue
  90 g Egg whites (3), at room temp

  2 g Cream of tartar, or lemon juice

  180 g Sugar

  50 g Water

  2.50 g Vanilla extract

About
1 Meringue is a type of dessert, often associated with Swiss and French cuisine, made
from whipped egg whites and sugar, and occasionally an acid such as cream of tartar or
a small amount of lemon. A binding agent such as cornstarch or gelatin may also be
added. The addition of powdered sugar, which usually contains corn starch, to the
uncooked meringue produces a pavlova, a national dish of Australia and New Zealand.
The key to the formation of a good meringue is the formation of stiff peaks. When egg
whites are beaten, some of the hydrogen bonds in the proteins break, causing the
proteins to unfold and to aggregate non-specifically. This change in structure leads to
the stiff consistency required for meringues. The use of cream of tartar is required to
additionally denature the proteins to create the firm peaks, otherwise the whites will not
be firm. Greasy bowls will likely result in the meringue mix being prevented from
 becoming peaky. When beating egg whites, they are classified in three stages according
to the peaks they form when the beater is lifted: soft, firm, and stiff peaks. Sugar
substitutes are not useful in meringue. The sugar is necessary to the structure.

Meringue

2 This is the easiest method. In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat egg
whites with lemon juice. Keep meringue to foamy stage prior adding cooked sugar. Cook
sugar and water to 250ºF/121ºC and pour in thin stream into the foamy egg whites
increasing speed as you go. Continue beating on high until stiff peaks, lower speed and
beat meringue until cool.