Why it works: Sugar and egg are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 21% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 122,807 recipes. Both carry 2-nonenal, which smells fatty, green. The science ↓
Easy No Weep Meringue
Ingredients
Directions
Make the syrup
Combine sugar, cornstarch and water in a saucepan, or microwave, and bring to a boil, cook until thickened.
Remove from heat.
Whip the meringue
In mixer bowl, beat egg whites and 2 tablespoons sugar until soft peaks form.
Gradually add hot syrup and beat on high speed until stiff peaks form.
Bake and cool
Spread over warm pie filling, seal edges to crust and sprinkle with a few shreds of coconut, if desired.
Bake at 350°F for 15 minutes or until browned to your liking.
Cool.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
Counts 3 of 4 ingredients. The other 1 aren't in our nutrition table and add nothing above, so the real totals are higher.
What these numbers assume: 3 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Flour | 1 cup (125g) all-purpose | 455 |
| Egg | 1 large egg (50g) | 78 |
| Sugar | 1 tbsp (12.5g) granulated | 49 |
| Water | not in our table | 0 |
One typical portion per ingredient; the recipe's quantities are not counted. A rough guide only, not for medical or dietary planning.
Steps grouped into stages for easier reading; the method is the source's own.
Explore the science
The flavor team
The pairs that carry this dish. Each one is judged two ways: how much their aromas overlap, and how often cooks already put them together.
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Sugar + eggtop 21% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together122,807 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-nonenal (fatty, green).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Egg whites
- Whipped into a foam that sets into the meringue's structure when baked.
- Sugar
- Sweetens the meringue and helps stabilise the whipped egg white foam.
- Cornstarch
- Thickens the cooked syrup so it holds water and helps prevent weeping.
- Water
- Dissolves the sugar and cornstarch to form the syrup that is cooked to thicken.
The step that matters
Gradually add hot syrup and beat on high speed until stiff peaks form. Adding the syrup slowly while beating lets it cook the egg whites and stabilise the foam. Pouring it in too fast can deflate the whites, and the meringue may then weep or collapse.
“What each ingredient does” and “The step that matters” were written by Claude from this recipe’s own method and reviewed in samples by CompKitchen.
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