Meringue Mistakes!!

Grrrr, every time I try and do meringue I get to the same bit and then it goes wrong

I whisk the whites until they are stiff and I've tried adding sugar a tablespoon at a time, but every time I get to adding the sugar it goes wrong It kinda dissolves back again and is no longer 'stiff'. It doesn't seem to make a difference if I whisk the sugar in hard or gently, it still goes awry.

I've tried twice tonight then ran out of eggs - aarrghhh!!!! Anyone know why I am getting it wrong please?

LOL! I can't help you but just had to laugh at the title! Sorry!

What sort of sugar do you use? I haven't made a meringue for years but I used to use caster sugar, after you have added the sugar it does go runny you have to whisk until it goes stiff again.

I know from the past of when making souffle, that a small amount of cream of tarter helps. With meringues getting the finest granulated sugar helps also.

Taking your time adding the sugar is perhaps the key to the trick.

I know my mum adds a tiny bit of white wine vinegar in there somewhere too. I will ask her. She is the meringue queen.

Make sure your bowl is totally clean - no oil/grease in it. (Not that I'm saying your bowls are all dirty ).

Put a tiny drop of vinegar in with the egg whites.

Add the sugar gradually and keep whisking until you can put the bowl upside down over your head without it all falling out. It takes longer than you think

I use an electric whisker

LOL - thanks for your replies. I knew you weren't inferring my bowls were dirty lol

I use caster sugar and was adding it only a tablespoon at a time BUT every time I added the sugar the mix went runny. I did keep whisking for ages, but it didn't seem to get 'stiffer'. I gave up in the end.

A website I went on said not to try making meringue when the weather was damp/wet as it effects it somehow. But TBH I could try doing it in a heatwave and it wouldn't have worked

Perhaps I do need a leccy whisk!!!

Yep, leccy whisk is deffo better for meringues

I don't bother with caster sugar, I just use normal sugar.

A tablespoon seems like an awful lot of sugar for a meringue. Have you tried adding less?