Yes, a hand mixer that is suitable for whipping egg whites can make meringue. Use the attachment and speed recommended for your model, and follow a tested recipe. The right endpoint is the texture the recipe describes, not a promise that every batch takes less than ten minutes.
Choose the Meringue You Want to Make
French, Italian and Swiss meringues combine egg whites and sugar differently. A method for one cannot be used as a complete recipe for another. Soft peaks and stiff peaks also serve different purposes; stop at the stage your recipe requires.
Use a clean bowl and attachments, and keep yolk and grease out of the whites. Check your egg product’s label for whipping suitability. Do not deliberately age eggs or leave them out for an unlimited time to make them whip faster.
How Does Italian Meringue Differ?
Italian meringue uses hot sugar syrup added to whipped whites. King Arthur’s Italian meringue macaron recipe calls for a steady stream of syrup while beating, not dumping the entire pan in at once. Use its complete ingredient quantities, syrup temperature and subsequent baking instructions if making that recipe.
Hot syrup can cause serious burns. Secure the bowl and keep the syrup away from the rotating beaters. If you cannot safely control a hand mixer and the pan together, choose another method rather than improvising.
What About Swiss Meringue Buttercream?
Swiss meringue buttercream begins by heating the whites and sugar together, followed by whipping and then adding butter after cooling. Heating for a fixed number of minutes is not a substitute for measuring the mixture’s temperature.
For example, King Arthur’s recipe specifies 161°F for the heated mixture, then whipping off the heat until stiff and cooled before adding the butter. Follow the full linked recipe and your mixer’s operating limits rather than treating these stages as a standalone recipe.
Keep Egg Safety Separate From Appearance
A glossy foam or stiff peak does not prove that raw eggs have reached a safe temperature. FDA advises pasteurized eggs or pasteurized egg products for foods served raw or undercooked. Follow the complete recipe’s cooking, serving and refrigeration instructions.
Do not assume that a brief addition of hot syrup makes every Italian meringue preparation safe to eat without further cooking. Use a tested method suited to the intended dish.
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