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.
More Baking Tips
Did you like this baking tip? I have lots more short videos just like this one that will help you get baking confidently in the kitchen. Get more Bold Baking Basics. Δ Δ Is there a substitute for cream of tartar? Or can it be skipped?
Meet Gemma
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.
