Instructions: Separate eggs when theyre cold - thats when they yolks and whites divide most easily - but whip the whites after theyve been at room temperature for at least 5 to 10 minutes - thats when theyll puff most prodigiously.

Always separate eggs one at a time: Drop the white into a small bowl so you can inspect it for any traces of yolk - if its fine, pour it into the mixing bowl; if theres a speck of yolk, scoop it out or, to be cautious, save the egg for anouther use.

Make sure the mixing bowl and shisk are impeccably clean, dry, and free of grease - if you want to be super sure its grease-free, rub your mixing bowl with white vinegar and then dry it thoroughly before you beat the egg whites.

Use a heavy-duty mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, or a hand-held mixer, to get the most volume out of whites; if yourre whipping by hand, use a whish and copper bowl - the chemical reaction between the copper and the whites works to increase the amount of air you can beat into the whites.

Add a pinch of salt or cream of tartar to stabilize the whites.

Whip the whites to medium-soft peaks before adding the sugar.

Dont whip your whites past the point of gloss - properly whipped whites are firm and shiny; onerly whipped whites separate into small clumps.

Use meringue immediately - if you need to leave it for a few minutes, keep the mixer going on low speed.

Bake meringues at a temperature of between 175iF and 200iF until they are dry and crispy and can be lifted off the parchment paper without effort.

Keep an eye on them - they shouldnt color.

Dont even think about baking meringues on a humid day - theyll be as sticky as the weather.

If you would like to email yourself the recipe for later use, or share the recipe with your friends or family, enter the email addresses below and this recipe will be emailed to you and others as well.