Video: How to Make Meringues

Inspired by conversations on the Food52 Hotline, we're sharing tips and tricks that make navigating all of our kitchens easier and more fun.

Today: Next up in Mario Batali's How To Tuesdays series? Master the meringue -- and then have it for dessert, all season long.

Egg whites are like undercover superheroes. By day, they’re mild-mannered things -- leftovers, probably, from your last ice cream bender. They’re happy to work backstage, to humbly clump your granola and bind your coconut macaroons. When you’re not looking, they’ll even slip quietly into your cocktails to give them lift. But whip them into a meringue, and egg whites become nothing short of spectacular.

The best part? Making meringues is easier than you think. Pastry Chef Katia Delogu of Eataly shows us how, starting with just three ingredients: egg whites, granulated sugar, and powdered sugar. If you’re frosting a cake, stop when you’ve whipped your egg whites to stiff peaks. But if you’re like us, you dream of Eton mess, of pavlova and summertime cookies -- so carry on, and bake your meringues to crisp, crackly perfection.

Got anything you want to learn from the Batali chefs? Let us know in the comments!

This video was made in collaboration with Mario Batali.