How to Keep Meringue From Falling

Keep meringue topping from falling with a simple ingredient.

The difficulties with meringue often occur after you set aside your perfect pie. Meringue can be unstable both before and after it hardens, and it may shrink, crack, weep or fall. Many factors combine to make a perfect meringue, including ingredients and cooling temperatures. Meringue can be especially vulnerable to problems if you bake on a humid day. To avoid a falling meringue, try a baker's trick that will help add stability to the meringue.

Things You'll Need

• 1 tbsp. cornstarch
• Small saucepan
• 4 large egg whites
• Pinch salt
• Large mixing bowl
• Electric mixer
• 1 cup superfine sugar
• Spatula

Instructions

1. Mix 1 tbsp. of cornstarch with 1/3-cup cool water in the saucepan. Heat the ingredients over medium heat, stirring constantly, until it becomes thick. Remove the saucepan from the heat after thickening and allow the cornstarch mixture to cool back down to room temperature before using it.

2. Place the egg whites and the pinch of salt in the large mixing bowl and leave them sitting until they warm to room temperature.

3. Turn the mixer on to medium and whip the egg whites for approximately three minutes until they reach the soft peak stage.

4. Turn the mixer to high and add 1/2 cup of the sugar very slowly to the egg whites while you beat them. It should take about two minutes to add the 1/2 cup of sugar. The egg whites should not look shiny as you add the sugar. If the egg whites begin looking shiny, you are adding the sugar too fast.

5. Add the cornstarch mixture to the egg whites in 1 tbsp. increments, beating with the mixture between additions. Continue adding cornstarch and beating until you add it all to the egg whites. Stop whipping after you finish adding the cornstarch.

6. Sprinkle the remaining sugar lightly over the top of the egg whites and let it sit for five minutes. Fold the sugar in gently with the spatula and then whip the egg whites a final time with the mixer until you see stiff peaks.

7. Use the meringue immediately. Some cooks spread or pipe it over a pie or cake. If you spread it, make sure you seal the edges of the meringue thoroughly around the edges of the pie or the meringue may shrink. Other cooks precook the meringue before using it as a topping.

8. Store meringue at room temperature in a draft-free spot. Inverting a large bowl over the meringue is an easy way to thwart all drafts.

Tips & Warnings

• If you bake meringue, bake it slowly at 325 degrees Fahrenheit until the meringue looks dry and is a light beige color. The baking time depends on the size and thickness of the meringue.

• Superfine sugar dissolves quickly in the egg whites, ensuring that undissolved sugar won't cause weeping.

References

• Baking 911.com: Meringue