Italian meringue is a firm cooked meringue made with boiling sugar syrup. It can be used alone as a frosting, or I sometimes pipe it into rosettes and dry them out in a low oven for tasty treats. Use a candy thermometer to make sure the sugar syrup reaches 235°F. By adding the hot syrup to the egg whites while whipping, you’ll be cooking them to approximately 140°F, the pasteurization temperature for eggs.

　　

Ingredients

makes 8 cups

　　3 large egg whites, at room temperature

　　1/2 cup sugar

　　1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar

　　

Step 1

Put the egg whites in the bowl of an electric mixer, and set the mixer on low speed (you want to whip the whites just until foamy).

　　

Step 2

While the whites are slowly whipping, swirl 1/3 cup water and the sugar in a medium-size heavy saucepan over low heat until the sugar dissolves. Then raise the heat to medium-high and boil without stirring until the mixture registers 235°F on a candy thermometer and is the texture of corn syrup. Remove the pan from the heat.

　　

Step 3

Once the egg whites are foamy, add the cream of tartar to them and beat until soft peaks form. With the mixer running, add the hot syrup in a slow, steady stream. Beat until the whites are stiff and glossy and cool to the touch.

　　

Step 4

Use the meringue immediately.

　　Fresh Mexico