French, Swiss and Italian Meringue

French meringue is egg whites whisked to soft peaks, then sugar added a spoonful at a time until glossy and stiff. Use it for pavlova and baked meringues. Swiss meringue is whites and sugar warmed together over simmering water to 70°C, then whipped until cool; it's denser and stable for buttercream. Italian meringue is made by pouring sugar syrup cooked to 118°C into whipping whites. It's the most stable, good for topping tarts and for macarons. Any trace of yolk or grease in the bowl stops the whites from foaming.