Meringue Kisses — small piped meringues
Meringue kisses are small individual baked meringues, piped into small drops or rosettes, baked low and slow until dry and crisp throughout. They are the canonical 'use up leftover egg whites' bake and a Christmas-tree decoration in some traditions.
i. Origin & history
Meringue technique reportedly dates from 17th-century Switzerland (the town of Meiringen claims the origin, though this is disputed). Small piped meringues became popular as a way to use egg whites left over from yolk-rich custards.
ii. Ingredients
Makes 36 servings · scroll the side panel to adjust
- 4 egg whites
- Pinch salt
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 200 g caster sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla
- Food colour (optional)
iii. Method
- Heat oven to 100 °C.
- Whip egg whites with salt and lemon juice to soft peaks. Add sugar 1 tbsp at a time; whip to stiff, glossy, sugar-fully-dissolved peaks.
- Whisk in vanilla and colour.
- Pipe small rosettes or drops onto lined trays.
- Bake 90 min until dry. Turn off oven; leave inside another hour to fully crisp.
iv. Tips & common mistakes
- Use the freshest ingredients you can. The recipe relies on them.
- Read the method through first. Several steps must be ready in advance.
- Season patiently. Sweetness and salt are tuned at the end, not the start.
v. Variations
Pavlova is the large meringue cousin. French macarons are the almond-meringue version. Modern meringue kisses are coloured for festivals.
vi. Common questions
What is meringue kisses?
Meringue Kisses is small piped meringues, from north american cuisine. They are the canonical 'use up leftover egg whites' bake and a Christmas-tree decoration in some traditions
Where is meringue kisses from?
Meringue Kisses is from the north american dessert tradition; the recipe and history are detailed above.
How long does meringue kisses keep?
See the storage note in the Quick facts panel: 2 weeks airtight.