Every meringue baker has always had a preference between crisp and chewy meringues. Some people prefer the chewy deliciousness of a soft centered meringue, and some love the crispy perfection of the fully dried crisp meringue. Some people are very particular over which one is better. There’s one thing they can all have in common, though. The dentist being outraged at them every time… but hey, that’s what toothbrushes are for right? But what is the difference? Why is one so chewy and one so crispy? And why do I always end up making the opposite one than the one I was planning on to make?! Let’s find out.
Chewy meringues
Chewy meringues happen because they maintain more moisture. Sometimes they mistakenly happen because the oven temperature was a little too low or the meringues were a little too big. I wouldn’t be complaining, since I’m on team YESSS BOTH OF THEM ARE AMAZING! As long as there is chocolate in them, if it’s just plain sugar meringue, I feel like I am purposely trying to get a cavity. Don’t get me wrong, I’ll eat them, but I won’t be polishing off the whole batch in 2 days.
Speaking of chocolate, add‑ins such as melted chocolate, cocoa powder, and finely chopped nuts can also affect whether the meringue turns out chewy or crisp. Even though in general these ingredients won’t make a huge difference, they can affect texture by adding extra fat or moisture. But you can avoid this as long as you do it properly, like folding them in gently at the very end.
Crisp Meringues
Crisp meringues are made by baking them long and low until all the moisture has time to escape. Whisking the egg whites properly is essential for this. The average time is simply however long it takes to reach stiff, glossy peaks, usually several minutes. Not “I mixed it for 37 seconds and then got bored.” The amount of time in the oven also changes how dry the center becomes. Even though the ingredients are mostly the same, little changes like how finely the sugar is ground or how much acid you add can influence the texture one way or the other.
The main difference between crisp and chewy meringues is that one is crispy and one is chewy. Obviously. But the less obvious difference is how much moisture they hold inside. Another difference is how gently (or not) they were dried in the oven.
Which one is better is up to you to decide. Personally, I think the world is big enough for both kinds. Below are some of my favorite meringue recipes, (clearly labeled whether they are chewy or crispy,) so make sure to check them out!
