Meringues

The eggs must be spanking fresh as this makes them easier to separate.

Separate 3 large eggs  one at a time, placing each white in a cup or small bowl before adding it to the whisking bowl.  You can watch how to do this in our Cookery School Video on the this page. This means that if an accident occurs with, say, the third egg and you break the yolk, the other two are safe.

The proportion of sugar is always 50 g for each egg white. So, for 3 whites weigh out 175 g caster sugar onto a plate and have ready a clean, grease-free tablespoon (see note below on conversions)

Switch the whisk on to a slow speed and begin whisking for about two minutes, or until everything has become bubbly (this timing will be right for 2 to 3 egg whites; you'll need slightly more time for 4, 5 or 6). After that, switch to a medium speed for a further minute, then whisk at the highest speed and continue whisking through the soft peak stage until stiff peaks are formed. The whites should be all cloudy and foamy at this stage. Another test is to look at the whites on the end of the whisk – they should form a stiff peak without falling off the whisk. It's very important not to over-whisk the whites – this will stretch the surface of the bubbles that have formed and they will burst and collapse into liquid. You can also watch Delia's Perfect Egg Whites video on this page to see what they should look like.

Next, whisk the sugar in on fast speed, about a tablespoon at a time, until you have a stiff and glossy mixture with a satin sheen. Spoon onto baking sheets lined with baking parchment (or a liner) ready for baking.

My own method of baking has stood the test of time and, provided your oven temperature is correct, it will never let you down. You will find the exact temperatures and timings in each individual recipe. These differ according to the size of the meringues and the degree of colour called for, but the general principle is – they go into the oven at 150°C, gas mark 2, the temperature is then immediately reduced to gas 140°C, gas mark 1 for the actual baking and, once baked, the oven is turned off and the meringues are left in there, undisturbed, until the oven is completely cold.

Note on conversions: You may be confused and think that 3 x 50g is 150g. The truth is we are ruled by our conversion charts and when Delia started writing, meringue was always 2oz of sugar for each large egg white. Three times two ounces is six ounces but six ounces on our conversion chart is 175g as weights are always rounded up or down. It would not sound right to say 58.33g per egg white. We expect a day will come when we no longer refer to imperial weights but as Delia says, "It’s quite hard when you are in your seventies!" This recipe will work using 150 or 175g of sugar so we hope you will forgive us.