How to beat egg whites to perfect stiff peaks

Beating your egg whites to stiff peaks, what can go wrong? Even though it is a simple task, there is still a lot that can go wrong. In this article, I will explain what to look out for so that your whipped egg whites will never fail (again).

Whipping egg whites, how does it work?

Whipping egg whites creates air bubbles in the egg whites, which greatly increases their volume. When sugar is added, the air bubbles are surrounded (and thus held) by a layer of sugar, creating a firm foam that won’t easily collapse. You can then bake the most delicious meringues or add the egg white to a batter to make it nice and fluffy.

Fat free materials

The first step for successful egg whites is a fat-free working environment. The mixing bowl, whisk attachment, and any spatulas should be completely free of fat residue for the best results. It is best to use a metal bowl, stainless steel or glass bowl as these are the easiest to clean of grease.

Washing everything thoroughly with hot water and soap should do the trick, but I personally like to wipe everything down with a little lemon juice. You can use a paper towel for this rubbed with lemon juice. Wipe everything, from bowl to whisk and whatever other materials you’re using.

Don’t use plastic bowls for making meringue as the plastic retains oil much more than stainless steel, copper bowl or a glass bowl.

Separating the proteins

After everything is greaseless, separate the eggs. Again, it is important that no fat gets into the egg white. The yolk contains (a lot of) fat, and if even a small amount of egg yolk gets into the egg white, you will not be able to whip the egg white to stiff peaks. So you have to separate the whole eggs carefully.

I usually do this in two separate bowls and immediately pour each successfully separated egg white into another separate bowl (usually the mixing bowl). That way you don’t ruin all your whites if some of the yolk ends up in them. But there are lots of other great egg separation hacks out there!

I am often asked if it is possible to save egg whites that have a trace of yolk or a trace of fat and no longer want to set. Unfortunately, the answer is no, there is nothing you can do. Once fat has touched the egg whites you can no longer use it to whip egg whites to stiff peaks. You can still use for other things though (like a tasty omelette)

Beat the egg whites for the meringue until stiff

It is best to use fresh eggs at room temperature. This will allow you to whisk in the most air. I always use size M eggs unless otherwise stated, but you can also use a 1:2 ratio (1=eggs, 2=sugar) and weigh out the egg whites.

As for the sugar, I always use a combination of fine granulated sugar and powdered sugar. You start by beating the eggs with the granulated sugar. It is best to add this in tablespoons as you mix to get a greater volume. This is easiest with a stand mixer as it takes a few minutes.

Because you are using fine sugar, it will be absorbed into the meringue faster than if you were using ordinary granulated sugar. Beat until you can no longer feel the sugar grains in the egg whites and you can make nice firm peaks out of the meringue. Finally, carefully stir in the powdered sugar and cornstarch in eighths (moving your spatula in the number 8).

This will give your meringue the right structure and because it is very fine, it will be absorbed quickly. By the way, the cornstarch makes your meringue a little chewy on the inside, which I love.

Have more questions about beating egg whites to stiff peaks? Leave them in a comment below this article! I will answer those questions in a future post.

Recipes that use egg whites or meringue

• Dutch bokkenpootjes