What are the differences between French, Swiss, and Italian Meringues?

Facts are facts; there aren't many of us without a sweet tooth but how many of us actually know what a meringue is? A meringue is a?"foam of air bubbles enclosed in egg white and stabilised by sugar".

The first meringues were made in the 17th century, but there's not just one type of meringue, but three: French, Swiss, and Italian. And there are significant differences between them. French meringue is the least stable when baked, while the Italian one is the most stable

The most common and straightforward type of meringue is the French one, made by gradually beating egg whites and sugar into stiff peaks. It's used for layering cakes such as dacquoise, and it's also often folded into the cake batter and baked. However, this meringue type is the least stable of the three, at least when baked in the oven.?

On the other hand, its Swiss version is made by beating egg whites and sugar over a pot of boiling water. Once the temperature reaches 55 C?[130 F],?it's taken off the heat and beaten until it cools and develops a stiff texture. Compared with the French meringue, the Swiss one is silkier, denser, and smoother.?

Italian meringue, meanwhile, is made by adding sugar syrup to whipped egg white peaks. Then, the meringue is whipped again until it becomes firm and glossy. Italian meringue can be added to sorbets and ice cream to lighten them or used as a pie topping. It's also the most stable type of meringue when baked.?

So, the next time you're making a cake or a pie, choose wisely between the three options.