Swiss Meringue
This Swiss meringue is super silky, glossy, stable, and simple to make! It's made by gently heating egg whites and sugar, then is whipped until fluffy. Use it as is as a topping for tarts/pies, turn it into a Swiss meringue buttercream, or even bake it into treats like meringue cookies, macarons, or pavlovas.
Servings: 5 cups
Calories: 254kcal
Equipment
- hand whisk
- saucepan for double boiler
- medium bowl, heatproof
- Stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment
Ingredients
- 5 egg whites
- 1 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla paste or extract; can use any flavoring
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt optional
- gel food coloring optional
Instructions
Preparation:
- Measuring the ingredients by weight and using a stand mixer are highly recommended. Whipping the meringue will take a long time, so doing it by hand or even using an electric whisk will be tiresome.
- Make sure your hand whisk, stand mixer bowl, and whisk attachment are completely cleaned, dried, and do not have any traces of grease or fat. If they do, then the Swiss meringue will not whip correctly. For extra precaution, wipe them down with white vinegar to remove any oils, and fully dry.
Make Swiss Meringue:
- In your medium bowl, whisk together 5 egg whites and 1 1/2 cup granulated sugar until combined.
- Fill a saucepan with 2 inches of water and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Place medium bowl with egg whites and sugar on top, making sure the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water. Whisk constantly, scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl as it heats. Keep whisking until the mixture cooks to 160°F/71°C, about 5 minutes. The mixture will be thick at first, then thin out, and later turn white.
- Carefully transfer the mixture into your stand mixer bowl fitted with the whisk attachment. Whip on medium-high speed until you get room temperature, stiff, glossy peaks, about 15 minutes. If it’s taking longer than expected, place the bowl in the fridge for 5-10 minutes, then whip again.
- Once you get the desired consistency, mix in 1 tablespoon vanilla, ½ teaspoon fine sea salt, and any gel food coloring at the very in.
- Enjoy! Use your Swiss meringue to make buttercream, meringue kisses, macarons, and more.
Video
Notes
This is enough Swiss meringue for either 1 dozen cupcakes, or to frost (not fill) a 2-layer 9-inch cake or a 9x13 cake!
Substitutions and Variations:
Storage instructions:
- Want to try other flavors? Try adding other flavorings like almond extract, culinary matcha powder, or ube extract!
- Refrigeration instructions: Store matcha frosting in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Feel free to rewhip!
- Freezing instructions: Store matcha frosting in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight, and feel free to rewhip.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 cup | Calories: 254kcal | Carbohydrates: 60g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 0.2g | Sodium: 283mg | Potassium: 54mg | Sugar: 60g | Calcium: 3mg | Iron: 0.1mg
