How to make the perfect meringue

Serves: 6

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We often hear from readers who contact us as they are having problems making meringue; they are either too chewy, too crispy or shapeless. Our recipe below is completely foolproof and gives you a big pile of billowy white meringues. Make life simple by drawing circles on baking parchment to use as a guide for the size of your meringues. Anything for an easy life...

Top meringue tips

Make sure your bowl and whisks are as clean as a whistle; any grease will prevent your whites from whipping to full capacity.

To check the stiff-peak stage, lift the whisks from the mixture; the meringue should form a peak that stands up on its own. If it doesn't, continue whisking, checking from time to time.

Meringues store well in an airtight box for several days. Use any broken ones to make Eton mess: stir through whipped cream with chopped strawberries and a sprinkling of icing sugar.

Ingredients

• 3 large free-range egg whites
• 175g caster sugar
• cream or thick yogurt and seasonal fruit, to finish

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 140°C, fan 120°C, gas 1. Using an electric hand whisk, whisk the egg whites in a large, clean bowl until they form stiff peaks.
2. Start whisking on a medium speed, increasing to a higher speed once the whites start to take shape; this will give you greater volume.
3. Gradually add the sugar, in tablespoonfuls, whisking all the time. When all the sugar has been added, you will have a gorgeously glossy white meringue mixture.
4. Spoon the mix into circles marked on nonstick baking paper on a baking sheet, using a table knife to gently make swirls.
5. Bake for 30 minutes, then turn off the oven and leave the meringues to cool overnight in the turned-off oven.
6. Serve your white beauties with whatever takes your fancy – a bowl of Greek yogurt and sliced figs is one of our favourites.