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Hi Bold Bakers!
One of my favorite things to eat and make is meringue — in all its’ forms. It’s amazing as a frosting on a Lemon Meringue Cake, baked into a lovely Pavlova, or as a topping for my Lemon Meringue Cheesecake. All these simple desserts start with meringue, and in order to make great meringue, you need to know How Long You Whip Egg Whites For.
Before getting stuck in and adding sugar to your egg whites you need to know how to perfectly whip them egg first. I know what you’re thinking; is there really a right or wrong way to do this? While it is fairly straight forward, there are a few things I always do when whipping up my whites to ensure I have the perfect base for my recipe.
How Long Do You Whip Egg Whites To Get Soft Peaks?
First off, consider your eggs. Start with fresh eggs, at room temperature, NOT straight from the fridge. Cold eggs don’t whip up nearly as well as room temperature.
Next, make sure your bowl and mixer are squeaky clean and dry! In a deep bowl, start beating the egg whites on low speed until they are just foamy. Once you have a nice foam, move to medium-high speed. Now add a pinch of salt (or cream of tartar if you have it) to help stabilize the whites.
After a few minutes of beating, you should reach what is called “soft peaks,” which is when you pull the whisk out of the whites and a light peak forms, but then flops over.
How Long Do You Whip Egg Whites To Get Stiff Peaks?
If your recipe requires stiff peaks, take it a few minutes further and you will see the peaks of the whites hold their shape when the mixer is removed from the bowl. This is the “stiff peaks” stage.
From here, you can add sugar or flavorings, or fold your aerated egg whites into things like Chocolate Mousse or into my Jelly Donut Macarons to add lightness and texture.
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About Us
Meet Gemma
About Us
Meet Gemma
Hi Bold Bakers! I’m Gemma Stafford, a professional chef originally from Ireland, a cookbook author, and the creator of Bigger Bolder Baking. I want to help you bake with confidence anytime, anywhere with my trusted and tested recipes and baking tips. You may have seen one of my 500+ videos on YouTube & TikTok or as a guest judge on Nailed It! on Netflix or the Best Baker in America on Food Network. No matter your skills, my Bold Baking Team & I want to be your #1 go-to baking authority.
This doesn’t really say about how long it takes. I may need to whip 2 egg whites into stiff peaks and have never done it. The approximate time it takes will determine whether or not I make the recipe. Can anyone estimate the amount of time it takes? Im very detailed, so saying a few minutes isn’t clear enough for me.
Thank you Gemma! This is what I needed to show my sister! God bless you Gemma!
Thanks for the egg white information Gemma. Following on, how long does one need to whip sugar into whites for making meringue that is super smooth with no sugar residue? Thanks Carols x
To answer some of the questions posed. 1. You must ensure no yolk is present in the whites. To do this I use 3 bowls. One, to crack over and drip the white in. If no yolk has fallen, place this white in the mixing bowl and the yolk in another bowl. Do this till all eggs have been used. If you happen to drop yolk in your first bowl, use this egg separately. Do not add it to your whites bowl. 2. It is advisable not to use a plastic bowl as it may contain fat which has not… Read more »
Hi Gemma,
Is there a substitute for cream of tartar? Or can it be skipped?
I love this recipe and stages and I love how you put in a tremendous amount of detail and really enjoyed all of it but you still didn’t add the time it takes. Try to add the estimated time next time. 👍
So I have a question ! They’re not cooked , how safe is that to eat? That’s why I never make frosting like this.
How much cream of tarter 1/4 -1/2 tsp and sugar 1/4-1/2 cup do you add? Have you ever added corn starch, if so how much. Meringue and I don’t get along, really would like to learn to make a good one.
Do you refrigerate your pie?
Hi! My mom told me that I’m order for an egg white to reach stiff peaks, the egg white should have absolutely no egg yolk. Is that true? And if it is, what is the easiest way to separate the egg white from the yolk without the yolk falling in to the white.
Is it true that we cannot use plastic bowl in whipping the egg whites?