This silky Italian Meringue is the most stable boiled icing or frosting for cakes and cupcakes or topping for pies and pastries. This boiled icing recipe is quick and easy to make. Ready in 7 minutes!
What is Italian Meringue?
Italian Meringue is a plain boiled icing made of egg whites and hot sugar syrup. The boiling sugar is poured slowly while whisking the egg whites on high speed until stiff peaks. It creates a fluffy and silky stable meringue that does not deflate or collapse for a long time.
Italian meringue is the most stable icing for hot weather. I grew up in a tropical country, and this boiled icing is popular and mostly used in the bakery for frosting cakes. It doesn’t melt and holds its shape even if left out at room temperature or in humid hot weather. It is also a great make-ahead icing or frosting if making cakes or cupcakes for birthdays or weddings.
Here’s what you’ll need to make the Italian Meringue
For the Equipment
Stand mixer with the whisk attachment, using the stand mixer is easier and an extra helping hand while slowly pouring the hot sugar syrup into the meringue. Otherwise, use the hand mixer.
Saucepan – stainless steel, aluminum pans, or cast enamel conducts heat evenly and quickly and is great to use in making hot sugar syrup.
Digital Thermometer – for accurate readings to know if the hot syrup is ready to be combined with whipped egg whites.
Silicone Spatula – scraping the bowl with boiled icing.
For the Ingredients
Egg whites -for best results use fresh egg whites. It will whip up quickly and be more stable.
Sugar– granulated sugar to be boiled with water to cook and stabilize the egg whites.
Salt– just a pinch to balance the flavour.
Cream of tartar– it helps to stabilize the egg whites to keep their shape to stiff peaks and prevent them from deflating. Substitute 1/4 tsp cream of tartar with 1/2 tsp lemon juice or vinegar.
Lemon juice– adding this to boiling sugar and water will prevent the sugar from crystallizing. Substitute with vinegar or cream of tartar.
Pure vanilla extract– to add flavour to the Italian meringue
How to Make Italian Meringue
Step 1. Prepare all the equipment and ingredients before you start.
Step 2. Set up your cooking station. Place the stand mixer and digital thermometer close to the stove. Wipe the bowl and the whisk attachment with vinegar or lemon juice to ensure it is grease-free.
Step 3. Separate the egg whites one at a time in a small bowl in case you break the yolk with the egg white. It’s easier to separate eggs while it’s cold. You can do this ahead of time and let the egg whites sit to bring at room temperature. Make sure no yolks in the egg whites. Otherwise, it will not be whipped to maximum volume. Add the egg whites with the cream of tartar into the bowl.
Step 4. Add the sugar, water and lemon juice to the saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. There is no need to stir or not stir at all. Although, the lemon juice or vinegar will prevent the hot sugar syrup to crystallize. There are three more ways to prevent it from crystallizing while making hot sugar syrup. Cover the saucepan while boiling for 3 minutes or bring the water to a full boil before adding the sugar. And or brushing the insides of the saucepan with water during the boiling process.
I found that adding citric acid to the sugar syrup is the more effective way to prevent it from crystallizing. It’s like the process of making inverted sugar syrup. A Wikipedia article about this explains here.
Step 5. Using a digital thermometer, check the boiling hot sugar syrup not touching the bottom of the saucepan. When the temperature reaches 230°F, start whipping the egg whites on high speed until medium-stiff peaks.
The timing here is the key to perfect boiled icing. While beating the egg whites, the boiling hot sugar syrup temperature will keep rising. Keep an eye on it and when reaches between 240°F to 245°F it’s ready to pour into the medium-stiff peaks egg whites.
You can also check if the hot sugar syrup is ready by dropping a teaspoon of the mixture into cold water forms a hard ball. However, I still highly recommend using a digital thermometer for accuracy.
Step 6. Carefully pour the hot sugar syrup (240°F) continuously on a thin stream into the perfectly whipped egg whites. Try to avoid the whisk and pour close to the side of the bowl.
Please note that this hot sugar syrup can cause a serious burn and is not recommended to do around with young kids.
Step 7. While beating on high speed, immediately add the pure vanilla extract right after the last drop of the hot sugar syrup into the bowl while the meringue is still hot. Continue beating, this took me about 3 minutes until the meringue is glossy and had stiff peaks.
Please note, adding any liquid to the stabilized Italian meringue after it cools down may cause it to deflate, thin out the mixture or becomes grainy. Trust me, it happened to me and I have to restart again.
Adding Flavour to the Italian Meringue
Vanilla– While beating on high speed and the mixture is still hot, add a few drops of vanilla extract.
Chocolate– add 3 to 4 tablespoons of sifted cocoa powder for every cup of the Italian meringue that has been completely cool.
Adding other flavours– it is recommended to use powder, like strawberry powder. Adding liquid flavour may cause the Italian meringue to deflate.
Adding Colours– to use paste icing colours, gently mix them into Italian meringue that has been completely cool. If using liquid icing colour, it is recommended to add them right after pouring the hot sugar syrup, so some of the liquid evaporates and prevent the mixture to thin out. Otherwise, just add a few drops and gently mix until blended.
Cakes to make with Italian Meringue
Also great icing toppings for these cupcakes;
Storing:
The Italian meringue that is stabilized and cooked with boiled sugar syrup can be stored at room temperature and covered for up to 3 days. In the refrigerator covered for up to 5 days.
Italian Meringue
Watch How to Make It
Equipment
- stand mixer with the whisk attachment
- Digital thermometer recommended for accurate readings
- Silicone spatula
Ingredients
- 3 egg whites room temperature
- ¼ tsp cream of tartar substitute with lemon juice
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
for the hot sugar syrup
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ⅛ tsp salt
- ⅓ cup water
- 1 tsp lemon juice substitute with vinegar or cream of tartar
Instructions
- In a saucepan, add sugar, salt, water and lemon juice. Bring to a boil on medium-high heat. Do not stir at all.
- Add the room-temperature egg whites and the cream of tartar or lemon juice, in a grease-free bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment.
- Check the temperature of boiling sugar syrup with the digital thermometer. When the temperature reaches 230°F, start whisking the egg whites on high speed until medium-stiff peaks.
- When the boiling hot sugar syrup reaches between 240 to 245° F, carefully and slowly pour continuously on a thin stream on high speed in between the whisk the side of the bowl (try to avoid the whisk).
- Add the vanilla right after the last drop of hot sugar syrup. Continue beating for about 3 minutes until stiff peaks and the meringue are glossy and the bowl cool down but still warm.
- Let the meringue to cool completely before frosting the cakes or placing it into the piping bag.
