Air Fryer Meringue By 3 Methods - French, Italian & Swiss
This is my air fryer meringue 3 methods post, showing you how to make a meringue Pavlova, in the air fryer using the 3 different methods - French meringue, Swiss meringue & Italian meringue methods.
Equipment
- Digital scales or measuring cups
- Measuring Spoon (tsp - baking teaspoon & tbsp -tablespoon only)
- Stand Mixer & beater/whisk attachment (or hand-mixer & beaters)
- Large mixing bowl
- 2 Bowls to separate eggs
- ½ Lemon
- Medium cooking pot (for Swiss or Italian methods)
- Wooden spoon or spatula
- Small measuring jug
- Digital Thermometer (or sugar/candy thermometer for Swiss & Italian methods)
- Wooden Cocktail stick (Optional -if colouring meringue)
- Red food colouring (Optional - I recommend Sugarflair Christmas Red Paste*)
- Baking/parchment paper (I recommend Bacofoil Baking Paper)
- 6 or 7" Base of Cake or Pie Tin (Base only, see notes for other options*)
- Scissors
- Piping bag & nozzle (optional - large bag & Wilton 2D closed star medium nozzle*)
Ingredients
For The French Meringue:
- 5 Medium Egg Whites (5 Large US eggs, Or 4 large UK, 4 extra large US*)
- 220 grams Caster Sugar (7¾ oz, 1 cup Extra/Super Fine Sugar*)
- 1 tsp Cornflour (Corn Starch)
- 1 tsp White Vinegar
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract (optional- learn to make Vanilla Extract)
For The Swiss Meringue:
- 5 Medium Egg whites (5 Large US eggs, Or 4 large UK, 4 extra large US*)
- 333 grams Granulated Sugar (11¾ oz, 1⅔ cup*)
For The Italian Meringue:
- 5 Medium Egg Whites (5 Large US eggs, Or 4 large UK, 4 extra large US*)
- 225 grams Granulated Sugar (8 oz, 1⅛ cup - or 1 cup plus 2 tbsp*)
- 90 ml Water (3 fl oz, ⅓ cup or 6 tbsp)
Instructions
Prepare The Mixer
- For each method, you want to ensure the mixing bowl & beaters are really clean and free of grease that can stop the egg whites whipping fully.
- After cleaning & drying, rub half a lemon (flesh side down), on the bottom and up the sides of the bowl, before rubbing onto the ends of the beating attachment(s). Place these down on some fresh kitchen paper/paper towel.
To Make The French Meringue:
- Separate the eggs, making sure no yolk gets into the whites. Add the whites to the cleaned mixing bowl and attach the beating attachment. (Hand-mixer can be used but will take more time).
- Beat the whites on low to begin with till foamy, before increasing to medium speed & whipping till firm peaks form. Then slowly add in the caster (extra/super fine) sugar, 1 tbsp at a time until combined, thick, glossy & has stiff straight peaks. Sprinkle over cornflour/corn starch, vinegar & vanilla extract if using, and mix till combined. *For colouring the meringue, use a paste food colouring & add with these last ingredients.
To Make The Swiss Meringue:
- Whisk egg whites & sugar in a heat-safe bowl, sitting on a cooking pot, but not touching the bottom (or use a double boiler or Bain Marie.) Add 1 inch (2½cm) of water to the cooking pot on low-medium heat & when barely simmering, place the bowl on top, making sure it does not touch the water.
- Whisk the egg whites and sugar continually, allowing the sugar to dissolve and the temperature to slowly come to 71°c/160°f. It should not be gritty, thick & tacky & then thin & frothy.
- Remove from the heat, and whisk the mixture in a stand-mixer on medium speed for about 20 minutes, until stiff straight peaks form. **If colouring the meringue, add the paste colouring at the firm peak stage and then beat to the stiff peak stage.
To Make The Italian Meringue:
- Add the egg whites to the cleaned mixing bowl, beat on low-medium speed until firm bent peaks form.
- Now add the granulated sugar and the water to a cooking pot, on a medium heat & allow to dissolve. Let the mixture come to a fast boil and remove once the temperature is 120°c/250°f. **Any sugar sticking to the sides of the pot, use a pastry brush to brush it down.
- While whisking the egg whites, drizzle the syrup down the side of the mixing bowl, making sure it does not touch the beater. Continue whisking until you have shinny and stiff straight peaks. **If colouring the meringue, add before the syrup and while the syrup is coming to temperature & don't use a liquid food colouring, paste is best.
Prepare The Air Fryer:
- Cut baking/parchment paper to a 6" (15¼ cm) circle (see my easy cutting paper circles video). This will be placed on top of baking tray/baking sheet that will easily fit your own air fryer basket. I like to use the base of a 8" (20cm) loose-based pie tin, that is about 7" & gives me enough room to lift in and out of the small air fryer. Make sure too to not be baking directly on the bottom of the basket, to allow air to flow. Grease the paper in position so it does not slide, you can even use a little of the meringue mixture.
Pipe The Meringue:
- Scoop the meringue mixture right away, into a piping bag fitted with a star-tipped nozzle (I used a closed star tip WIlton 2D), push the mixture down, twist closed and use a clip or peg to keep closed.
- Pipe a ring of rosettes around the paper circle, before roughly piping in the centre area and spread just this inner area flat, creating a base. Continue with 2 or 3 more rows of rosettes, on top of the first row, ending on the final row with tall peaks on each piped rosette. You can have the meringue wall straight or slightly inclined, with the rosettes overlapping a little on each tow, making the top row smaller than row one.
Bake The Meringue:
- Carefully lower the meringue into the air fryer basket, making sure it is not on the very bottom of the basket to allow air to flow. Bake the pavlova @ 100°c/212°f for 20 minutes. (Preheat your air fryer if required). Reduce the temperature to 90°c/200°f & bake for 1 hr 30 mins till fully set & crispy to touch.
- **Alternatively, for meringue that is not crispy most of the way through, you can bake @120°c/250°f for 20-25 minutes. But a lower temperature is recommended for Italian meringue and coloured meringue in particular.
Dry Out The Meringue:
- Continue the drying-out process by leaving the meringue in the air fryer with it switched off, for 1 hour 30 minutes. **For air fryers that cool very quickly, I recommend just baking for another 15 minutes at the lower temperature & then switched off & leaving for 90 minutes, without opening the air fryer during that time.
Serving & Storing:
- When ready to serve, fill the pavlova meringue nest with whipped cream and fresh berries. Slice into 4 or 5 pieces and enjoy immediately.
- Store the unfilled meringue in the air fryer or oven until ready to fill and serve. Placing in the fridge or covering and the meringue loses its crispiness & becomes very sticky. Keep in the air fryer/oven overnight if needed until ready to serve and this will keep any heat or moisture away from the meringue. And only fill when ready to eat as the cream and fruit in particular can make the meringue softer and sticky.
- Whole pavlovas can be frozen (fully cooled & unfilled), if wrapped airtight & placed in a container for the freezing for up to 1 month.1 Uncoloured meringue mixture can be frozen - see details at website Freezeit.co.uk-freezing meringues.
Video
Notes
Egg Whites - different sizes given but also the equivalent in US sizing that is different to UK sizing.
Sugar - the French meringue method requires finer sugar - Caster Sugar in the UK & Extra/Super Fine in the US. Italian & Swiss meringue methods however, only need granulated sugar as dissolving them.
Difference Between The 3 Methods - more details are given on differences between French, Swiss & Italian meringue methods before this Recipe Card, but basically French is the least stable & Italian the most stable.
Uses For The Egg Yolks - don't waste the egg yolks. You can make lemon curd, fig anise curd or blueberry orange curd. Some cakes too you can use just the yolks (just increase the amount), or use for an egg-wash on bread or pastry. You can also freeze eggs and use after defrosting.
Recipe Yield - makes 1 x 3 or 4-layer Pavlova meringue nest that will fit most air fryer even very small ones, with a meringue diameter of about 6" (15.25cm) and serves 4 - 5 slices.
Overmixed The Meringue? Doesn't Look Right? - If you feel you have over-mixed the meringue & looks foamy or too aerated, see section before this Recipe Card for how to remedy this.
More details, step-by-step instructions and process photos, before this Recipe Card. Please also see the video above and don't forget to like, comment & subscribe for free to my YouTube channel.
Time To Make: based on making a crispy French meringue style Pavlova, with 90 minutes cooking time as well as drying out time. Italian & Swiss methods will take longer active time, however, if you don't want a fully crispy meringue, cooking time can be a lot shorter.
Use even a small 3.5 litre basket-style air fryer. Read my Cello double air fryer review.
Reference - freezing meringues information from FreezeIt.Co.UK
Nutritional Information - I am not a qualified nutritionist and all values are approximate. These values are based on French meringue method, using the ingredients as listed with no substitutes, filled with whipped cream and 8 medium sizes strawberries, where 1 serving is 1 slice from a yield of 5 equal slices. Values calculated via website MyFitnessPal.com. For the Swiss & Italian methods nutritional values, please copy paste the recipe link in the 'Recipe' tab on the app for automatic calculation of their respective nutritional values .
Difference Between The 3 Methods - more details are given on differences between French, Swiss & Italian meringue methods before this Recipe Card, but basically French is the least stable & Italian the most stable.
Uses For The Egg Yolks - don't waste the egg yolks. You can make lemon curd, fig anise curd or blueberry orange curd. Some cakes too you can use just the yolks (just increase the amount), or use for an egg-wash on bread or pastry. You can also freeze eggs and use after defrosting.
Recipe Yield - makes 1 x 3 or 4-layer Pavlova meringue nest that will fit most air fryer even very small ones, with a meringue diameter of about 6" (15.25cm) and serves 4 - 5 slices.
Overmixed The Meringue? Doesn't Look Right? - If you feel you have over-mixed the meringue & looks foamy or too aerated, see section before this Recipe Card for how to remedy this.
More details, step-by-step instructions and process photos, before this Recipe Card. Please also see the video above and don't forget to like, comment & subscribe for free to my YouTube channel.
Time To Make: based on making a crispy French meringue style Pavlova, with 90 minutes cooking time as well as drying out time. Italian & Swiss methods will take longer active time, however, if you don't want a fully crispy meringue, cooking time can be a lot shorter.
Use even a small 3.5 litre basket-style air fryer. Read my Cello double air fryer review.
Reference - freezing meringues information from FreezeIt.Co.UK
Nutritional Information - I am not a qualified nutritionist and all values are approximate. These values are based on French meringue method, using the ingredients as listed with no substitutes, filled with whipped cream and 8 medium sizes strawberries, where 1 serving is 1 slice from a yield of 5 equal slices. Values calculated via website MyFitnessPal.com. For the Swiss & Italian methods nutritional values, please copy paste the recipe link in the 'Recipe' tab on the app for automatic calculation of their respective nutritional values .
Nutrition Facts
Air Fryer Meringue By 3 Methods - French, Italian & Swiss
Serving Size
1 Slice
Amount per Serving
Calories
216
% Daily Value*
Fat
2
g
3
%
Saturated Fat
1
g
6
%
Cholesterol
5
mg
2
%
Sodium
75
mg
3
%
Potassium
77
mg
2
%
Carbohydrates
47
g
16
%
Sugar
46
g
51
%
Protein
3
g
6
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.