Mini Meringues (Meringue Kisses)

These adorable mini meringues are as versatile as they are cute! From colourful finishes to all the flavours of your dreams, the customisation possibilities are endless for these little sweet treats.

5 from 46 votes

Print Recipe Save

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: International

Prep Time: 20

Cook Time: 1

Cooling time: 30

Total Time: 1 50

Servings: Mini meringues (kisses)

Calories: 58kcal

Author: Maretha Corbett

Ingredients

▢ 200 grams egg whites - room temperature
▢ ½ teaspoon cream of tartar - optional
▢ 400 grams caster sugar

Instructions

To make the meringue

Fit your stand mixer with the balloon whisk attachment. If using a handheld electric whisk, attach the whisk attachments.
Add the egg whites and cream of tartar to the clean, grease-free mixing bowl or the bowl of your stand mixer.
200 grams egg whites, ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
Start mixing on a low speed until some stabilising bubbles start to form in the egg whites. This should take about 2 minutes. (Please see blog post for reference photo)
Increase the speed and whisk until the egg whites form firm, stiff peaks. You should be able to turn the bowl upside down without any egg whites sliding or falling out of the bowl.
Another way to check the consistency is by dipping the whisk into the egg whites - you should see a firm peak that stands straight up. (Please see blog post for reference photo)
Be careful not to over whisk! If it starts looking grainy and dull, you've taken it too far. The egg whites will simply collapse in on themselves at this point. So err on the side of caution and check the consistency often. Stop whisking as soon as you get to the stiff peak stage.
Start sprinkling in the caster sugar one tablespoon at a time, allowing about 15 seconds between each spoonful for it to incorporate before adding more.
400 grams caster sugar
Once all the sugar is added, whisk for a further 5-7 minutes at full speed. Whisk until the meringue is glossy and shows a stiff, upright peak if you dipped your finger or the balloon whisk into it.
Use your fingertips to check for any graininess. If you feel any sugar, it means it hasn't dissolved completely yet. Keep whisking until the texture feels completely smooth to the touch.
If you are colouring the meringue, add gel food colouring now and briefly whisk again to distribute the colour evenly throughout.
If you are NOT adding candy stripes, follow all the instructions below without brushing food colouring on the inside of the piping bag.

To make candy stripes

Gather your piping bags, a clean brush, gel food colouring, a tall glass and piping tips if using.
Preheat the oven to 100C/212F/gas mark ¼ and line a couple of baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
Fit a piping bag with your chosen decorative tip or simply snip off the tip of the bag with a pair of sharp scissors.
Make sure to cut straight across the tip of the bag, otherwise your meringue might pipe in an funny shape, instead of round.
Place the piping bag inside a tall glass and try to iron out any heavy creases on the inside of the glass.
Use the clean brush to paint stripes of colouring vertically up the inside of the bag. You can make them as narrow or wide as you wish.
Use a clean, grease-free metal spoon to transfer some of the finished meringue mixture into the piped bag.
Remove the bag from the glass and smooth the meringue towards the tip of the bag, twisting the back tightly to remove any air pockets.
Pipe four small dollops of meringue in the corners of the baking tray and stick the parchment paper on top to keep it secured.
Hold the piping bag with both hands. Use the top hand to apply pressure on the bag and the second hand to control the flow.
Hold the piping bag perpendicular to the tray, in other words at a 90 degree angle to the tray.
Pipe kisses about 5cm wide with a high, peaked top, lifting the bag as you squeeze. It may take a few goes to get the sizing and technique right.
Bake the mini meringues in the preheated oven for 50 minutes to 1 hour. The cooking time may vary based on the size of your meringues.
Keep an eye out for visual clues: The meringues should lift off the paper easily without sticking, their tops should stay intact when lifted and they should feel light, dry and airy to the touch. These signs will help you know they are ready.
Once the meringues are done baking, don't remove them immediately. Instead, turn off the oven and leave the door slightly ajar, allowing the meringues to cool down gradually inside for about 30 minutes.
Once you've removed the meringues from the oven, you don't need to transfer them onto cooling racks, just leave them on their trays until fully cooled down.
The meringues will keep well for 2 weeks if stored in an airtight container.

Notes

Don't add the sugar until the whites are stiff

A common meringue mistake is adding sugar before the egg whites have whipped to stiff peaks.

Only add the sugar once the whites have whipped into an extremely thick, stiff texture that holds its shape. This ensures the sugar incorporates smoothly and doesn't interrupt the matrix of air bubbles you worked to achieve.

Patience is key - let the whites fully stabilise first.

Use clean equipment

Use extreme care to ensure your mixing bowl, whisk attachments and any other utensils are completely grease-free. Any traces of oil or grease will deflate the volume you worked to achieve in the meringue.

Sanitise equipment by wiping it with lemon juice or vinegar and allow it to fully dry. Avoid plastic bowls or tools as grease clings to plastic more easily than metal or glass.

So, be thorough in cleaning bowls and equipment - it makes all the difference in maintaining that gorgeous, billowy texture.

Avoid yolk in the egg whites

Take care when separating eggs to ensure the whites are free of any traces of yolk or eggshell. Crack the eggs carefully and inspect the whites before you start whipping.

If a bit of yolk does sneak in, use a piece of the eggshell to gently scoop it out. Even tiny flecks of fat from the yolk or eggshell can impede whipping.

Do the upside-down bowl test

Creating maximum volume in meringue is all about stretching the egg whites to their absolute elastic limit.

The whites are only ready for sugar when they are so stiff that they hold their shape even if you invert the bowl completely upside down. This is not just a technique done on TV for show - it ensures the whites are truly whipped to the ideal structure!

The proteins must be elongated and stable enough to suspend the sugar and maintain height through baking. So, flip that bowl over to test the whites!

Swapping caster sugar for granulated sugar

While caster sugar is ideal for meringues, you can use granulated sugar instead when needed.

The finer texture of caster sugar dissolves more readily into the whipped egg whites. Granulated sugar's coarser crystals require extra whisking to fully integrate into the egg whites.

Be prepared to beat for 2-3 additional minutes if substituting granulated sugar. Keep whipping until the meringue becomes completely smooth, with no lingering grainy sugar feel when rubbed between your fingers.

Adding vinegar

We are not adding vinegar because this is a traditional, dry meringue recipe, but if you want a chewy centre and something more akin to a pavlova, you can add ½ teaspoon of vinegar for every four egg whites used.

One egg white weighs around 30g, so if you're using liquid egg whites from a carton, you will need ½ teaspoon vinegar for every 120g of egg whites used.

Expect bright colours

Remember, if you are using neat gel colour straight from the bottle, the colours will show up very saturated.

Nutritional data disclaimer

Please keep in mind that the nutritional information provided below is calculated by a third party and we cannot guarantee the accuracy. We try our best to give you the most accurate information, but we do not take responsibility for errors that may be present. Also, the nutritional value of the recipe may change depending on the exact brands and products used. We recommend that you consult with a qualified healthcare professional or registered dietitian for personalised advice on your dietary needs.

Nutrition