How to make a perfect Swiss meringue

For Dessert Week on The Great Canadian Baking Show, our bakers were challenged to create meringues that were both crispy on the exterior and fluffy inside. In this video, Chef Bruno shows us how it's done.

Description

Swiss meringue is made up of egg whites and sugar and is perfect for topping a pie. The egg whites and sugar are heated to 70ºC (158ºF) over a double boiler and then beat until glossy and fluffy. This method gives the meringue a marshmallowy softness that can be torched right before serving.

Ingredients

6 large eggs whites
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

Instructions

Place a large heat-proof bowl over a saucepan of gently simmering water, and whisk together egg whites and sugar until the sugar has dissolved. You can check by rubbing the mixture between your fingers to see if it feels grainy.

Continue to cook until your instant-read thermometer reads 70ºC.

Remove bowl from heat.

Using a hand mixer, beat the warm mixture at high speed until the meringue reaches stiff peaks. The mixture will become very thick, glossy, and almost marshmallow-like. This will take about 6-8 minutes of whipping.

Using a spoon or a small offset spatula, spread the meringue over a lemon tart. Use the back of a spoon to lift up the meringue and creates spikes.

Use a blowtorch to caramelize the meringue, or bake in oven at 200ºC (400ºF) for 5 minutes or until browned.