Science: The Magic of Meringue-Why Timing Matters When Whipping Egg Whites and Sugar

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Meringue cookies depend on whipped egg whites for both leavening and structure. The sugar that’s added to the whites contributes not only sweetness but also stability. But does it matter when you add the sugar?
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Meringue cookies and all types of sponge cake, including angel food and chiffon, depend on whipped egg whites for both leavening and structure. The sugar that’s added to the whites contributes not only sweetness but also stability. But does it matter when you add the sugar?
EXPERIMENT
To find out, we made three batches each of meringue cookies, angel food cake, and chiffon cake, adding the sugar to the whites before whipping, after a minute of whipping, or at the very end, once the foam had reached the “soft peaks” stage. We baked them and compared the results.
RESULTS
In all three recipes, the timing made a difference. Adding the sugar after a minute of whipping was clearly best across the board. In both types of cake, the crumb structure was compromised when the sugar was added at the very end: The chiffon was dense and flat, while the angel food was coarse and almost crumbly. Adding sugar before whipping was also not ideal, leading to cakes that baked up a bit too dry.
In the case of the meringues, adding the sugar at the start of mixing produced a cookie that was dull on the exterior, with a too-fine crumb within. The cookies made when the sugar was added at the very end had an overly airy texture (tasters compared it to Styrofoam) and a grainy consistency. To top it off, they took on an unappealing brown color.
EXPLANATION
When egg whites are whipped, the eggs’ proteins unfold and then cross-link to form a network that stabilizes the air bubbles. At the same time, the sugar dissolves in the water from the eggs to form a viscous liquid that helps stabilize the structure. If the sugar is added too early, the sugar granules interfere with the proteins’ ability to unfold, resulting in a weaker network that can only support small air bubbles (this is why these cakes and meringues had a finer interior texture). If the sugar is added too late, either the sugar, which is hygroscopic, draws water out of the foam and causes the structure to weaken (as in the dense, crumbly cakes), or the sugar doesn’t fully dissolve (as in the meringue cookies that were grainy and brown from undissolved sugar caramelizing). Adding the sugar after a brief amount of whipping gives the protein network time to form while leaving enough time for the sugar to dissolve.
TAKEAWAY: For ideal volume and stability, add the sugar to whipped egg whites after the eggs have started to get foamy but well before they have started to form peaks.
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[@ange1atsang]

Love how you experimented different timing, also included photos of the result. (Would be great if you included the chiffon cake and angel food tho) But lots of Chiffon cake recipes I read suggest adding the sugar in three batches, about one-third at a time. First time, like you suggested, add sugar when the egg started to get foamy. But the last time often when the egg reaches to firm peaks. What do you think of this method comparing to your adding in once after whisking one minute?

[@BoxerDogs]

Instead of just doing the steps, I like to know the purpose of each step. Good explanation on the cross-linking of the egg white proteins. Thank you for posting. I just subscribed.

[@realrasher]

Great... Now I'm craving meringue cookies. Thanks!

[@sKIPper76M]

Freshness of egg whites, temperature of egg whites, sugar crystal size, cream of tartar amount -- just a few more variables to add into the mix.

[@am_n_d_la]

do you have suggestions on that?

[@paulstovall3777]

THANK YOU for that tip. I recently made a lemon meringue pie. My meringue came out runny and flat. Not being one to waste, I simply poured it over the top of the pie base and baked it anyway. Even tho it tasted great and formed more of a 'crust' (which was by no means unpleasant), it just wasn't quite the same. I'll try your technique on my next go around.

[@nihlify]

What about adding the sugar little by little as many receipts say?

[@bl6973]

Erik Nilsson basically the same by adding the sugar after a minute

[@AtheistEve]

Can you do the same test for aqua faba? And explain how to get aqua faba meringue to remain light and firm whilst baking.

[@pimpernell902]

Could you do a video explaining Swiss meringue please.

[@khaderach19]

at what speed should you whip the egg whites before adding in the sugar? what effects happen when changing out granulated sugar for high fructose corn syrup?

[@AmericasTestKitchen]

+sans3go Hi there. In our meringue cooke recipe, we whip the egg whites at high speed. We have not tried using high fructose corn syrup.

[@ccburro1]

@@AmericasTestKitchen So you didn’t start the egg white beating process at a slower speed and work up to a higher speed?

[@eduardmanzhura6221]

Thank you! 😘 It helps a lot. Good advise!

[@rawshop]

Thank you so much for this knowledge.

[@pengu942]

I have a question, by adding a liquid food coloring will the structure be broken or interfered in any way?

[@lednerg]

0:00 - the facehugger from Alien

[@showersmoker]

+lednerg I thought the same thing LMAO! Great video though

[@MrUnbelievableAbs]

Awesome thank you! I have to make meringue for my gluten free bread all the time

[@Zelmel]

Not gonna lie, I have a chef-y man-crush on Dan.

[@shiroiron]

+Zelmel he is kinda cute. 💘

[@bensuperdetka]

Don't we all

[@v7ran]

Well you’re lucky! Now he has his own series :D!

[@dodgingdurangos924]

Is the science the same for other dairy products such as heavy whipping cream, milk, or even soy milk? Are the proteins in each ingredient of the same type as egg whites?

[@ryanhollist3950]

I would be interested to see if there are such timing issues when doing an Italian meringue. I'm still not sure when the best point is to add the sugar syrup.

[@ucsbgirlie18]

You should also add the sugar slowly, not all at once.

[@bintwang]

dude, im a baker, not exactly my department when i make cakes and stuff, but it happens. This helped me alot though

[@user-wq6hr9xi2n]

love these vids, please keep making them!!

[@kaffepojke]

Thanks for the great information. I noticed that you did not mention adding the sugar in small gradual amounts as most KZbin channels stress. ie: 1 spoonful at a time. Does this really matter ? Thanks.

[@evolverevolutiondiscoveries]

It does matter, my sugar was added in a big amount and it flopped

[@kappadappa]

It matters. If the sugar is added too quickly the egg foam can't support it and will collapse.

[@LoveOverHate1989]

Super informative 🔪

[@DavidBayard94]

I just made a batch following a recipe that called for 1 part egg white to 2 parts sugar. I made it with 180g egg white and 360 part sugar. The recipe said to add 1/4 of the sugar when the eggs had been whipped foamy, then whip that together before you add 1/4 more and after whipping that in for a minute add the rest of the sugar. Following these steps made it hard for the sugar to disolve, should I just add all the sugar at once once the egg reaches the right consistency?

[@ucsbgirlie18]

I made these a ton when I was a kid and my mom always told me to add the sugar slowly, even more slowly than that. My cookies always came out perfect.

[@PugsLoveLSD]

This isn't a copper bowl. That means that obviously because of the absence of Copper(II) chloride, these stiff peaks will not be as good as one that is beaten in a copper bowl... These poor protein structures are going to break down and deflate much too quickly without the stabilization and support that Copper(II) chloride aids in giving.

[@doweexist9153]

I just randomly triied to make some meringues. I had two eggs left and sugar. I seperate the egg whites from the yolk. It was just so runny. Then I added sugar, I don't know when. It was so runny. I could have made an omelette with the egg yolks but I didn't.

[@Daisy.florina]

why eggs wont stiff after I clean the bowl

[@justaddmusclecom]

Would Stevia still add the structure needed to form Meringue? Want to try a Keto version.

[@nelumbonucifera7537]

+Just Add Muscle Stevia is fine for flavor, but does nothing for structure. Your best bet is experimenting with sugar alcohols like sorbitol or erythritol.

[@justaddmusclecom]

Nelumbo Nucifera Will try with those and some others to see if I can get a carb low carb version.

[@9aspengold5]

+Just Add Muscle Please post your successes and failures. I really want to make meringue for diabetic family members.

[@justaddmusclecom]

9aspengold5 Will do. Check out my recipes for Keto no carb and low carb recipes perfect for diabetics.

[@kkw218]

do the whole eggs need to be in room temperature first before separating egg yolks out or you can separate the yolk from white right after the eggs are out of the fridge and let the egg whites sit in the room temperature? Or either way is fine? Thank you.

[@1ofEve]

typically most recipes are better of with room temp ingredients. especially for meringue though. also keep the bowl vey clean, a little grease throws it off

[@225kristent]

Does anyone know if you can use liquid egg whites for meringue or you should only use separated egg whites?

[@kellyfredericks2326]

I made meringue cookies yesterday with a carton of egg whites. Turned out great!

[@mezmez5799]

Does the temperature of the egg whites matter in terms of the experiment? Should the whites be fridge cold or countertop warm?

[@kellyfredericks2326]

Room temp is what everyone on you tube says.

[@kappadappa]

ATK has said temperature doesn't matter for egg white whipping. Cold whites whip as well as room temperature eggs, they just take a bit longer to get to full volume.

[@chrisradla]

genius! works better for me as well

[@tracydaisy6544]

Does it matter how many egg whites do I use, ATK?

[@MsMOLLYKINS]

Why did my Pavlova turn out soft and marshmallow like inside and out ? I have only had this happen twice in different ovens. I made one a week ago and it was crisp on the outside marshmallow inside

[@idkidkidk9074]

It has not dried enough. A way to dry it is after it’s done turn of the oven and leave it in there for an hour or hour and a half. ( ideally if u have time leave it in for 3-12 hrs)

[@damian.gamlath]

What happens if I strain the eggs before whipping? That is, I am getting rid of any excess water in the eggs

[@YusufSheth]

This is a great channel.

[@oliabakes]

How are they so glossy? Mine are much drier and I always wait to add the sugar.

[@Mike_inspector]

could be over-whipped perhaps www.thekitchn.com/a-visual-guide-soft-peaks-firm-115557

[@kappadappa]

You may be over-whipping the meringue, which will dry it out

[@wangshuoleon4400]

why does it turn back to liquid when whipping too long

[@TragoudistrosMPH]

Air bubbles collapse and liquid separates. apparently you can save it. Thomas Joseph shows how. Just add a fresh egg white and stir by hand 3-4 times. It looks like magic and must be seen to believed haha found it kzbin.info/www/bejne/sJnYg6ynbLOlmaM

[@CarnivorousPlantsAndGardening]

It is 2:00AM And I am watching cooking videos 🙃 I can't even cook hotdogs without them exploding 😐

[@Kazzzzzo]

Is it better to use powdered sugar? Not worrIng about disolving?

[@kappadappa]

Powdered sugar can clump in the eggs. Better to use superfine sugar.

[@williamw.2610]

Dan so young!

[@sergioruiz-mier9163]

Great

[@GirlFromIpanema]

Is it possible to use honey instead of sugar?

[@valeriaQwiUi]

GirlFromIpanema my grandma uses honey but I don't think it's the best, it adds color and has more water, so the meringue doesn't come out perfect.

[@charreed8727]

Should mention that making meringue in high humidity is not a great idea...

[@karenwillard1878]

Does it matter room temp or chilled eGG whites?

[@kellyfredericks2326]

Yes. They need to be room temperature.

[@kappadappa]

According to ATK, cold egg whites whip just as well as room temperature, they just take a bit longer to reach full volume.

[@jessealdous9828]

If I'm being honest I was concerned until I read the title because of the thumbnail

[@HTMLguruLady2]

There's some excellent questions below it's a shame Dan doesn't bother to read his subscribers questions and answer them 😡

[@ifl77sf]

Hi

[@MrInfin1x]

So I'm not getting any sound for this video. All your others that I've tried are just this one is silent.

[@louisszabo6834]

anybody else watching this for the egg assessment

[@adam3896]

Did you get an A?

[@nafedogg6361]

fml