Swiss meringue is a smooth, glossy, and stable type of meringue made by gently heating egg whites and sugar together before whipping them to stiff peaks. Unlike French meringue, in which sugar is added gradually during whipping, this method results in a silky texture and a slightly denser consistency. If you would like to flavor or color the meringue, add vanilla (or other flavor extracts) or a small amount of food coloring once medium-soft peaks are reached, then continue whipping until the desired consistency is achieved.

Also, compared to Italian meringue, which is made by pouring hot sugar syrup into whipped egg whites, Swiss meringue is a bit more delicate but easier to prepare and ideal for piping, folding into batters, or incorporating into butter creams and other desserts. Its ability to hold shape while maintaining a refined texture makes it perfect for elegant pastries and confections.

You can also check out the Swiss vs Italian Meringue video, where we create two beautiful desserts with these meringues. Or you can simply have a look at Lemon Meringue Tart recipe on the website, in which we used Italian meringue.

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Swiss Meringue

Recipe by FırınFornoCourse: DessertCuisine: SwissDifficulty: Easy

Servings

servings

Prep time

minutes

Cooking time

hour

Calories

178

kcal

Ingredients

85 g egg whites
127 g sugar
Pinch of salt
1 vanilla pod or citrus zest (for flavour, optional)

Directions

Place the egg whites and sugar together in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of gently simmering water, making sure the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water.
Stir constantly while heating until the sugar has completely dissolved and the mixture reaches 65–70°C, keeping the water at a bare simmer.
Transfer the mixture to a stand mixer or use a hand mixer and whisk on medium-high speed until it forms stiff, glossy peaks and has cooled to room temperature.
Check that the meringue is smooth, slightly dense, and glossy; it should hold its shape well for piping or folding into other mixtures.
Transfer the meringue to a piping bag and pipe onto a baking tray lined with Silpat or baking paper.
Bake in a 90°C oven for 45 minutes, keeping the oven door slightly ajar with a wooden spatula to allow moisture to escape.
Let the meringues cool completely before handling or serving.

Recipe Video

Notes

It is important that the water below doesn’t touch the bowl with the egg whites and sugar and that the water is kept at a bare simmer. If the heat becomes too intense it will cause the egg whites to set, therefore affecting the texture of the final meringue. It is also important to whisk the mixture until cooled to room temperature or the meringue will have little body and won’t hold its shape when piped or spooned onto trays.
Because the sugar is added right at the beginning with this method the egg whites are prevented from increasing in volume as much as the other meringue methods and can be slightly denser in texture. It is however, a more fragile meringue than Italian. Swiss meringue is ideal for piping, as it holds its shape well, and incorporating with other mixtures u2028or ingredients, as it also retains its volume.
The higher the temperature that the egg white and sugar mixture is heated to before whisking, the more concentrated the sugar content will be (as moisture evaporates as the temperature increases) and the more ‘sticky’ the final meringue mixture will become.