There are many ways to make a cocktail fancy. You can use egg white fizz, cabernet float, or Angostura bitters drawings of your face. Or you can add superficial citrus peels and herbs. Few garnishes can do it all: visually appealing, delicious, and with insulation properties. To make cocktails even better, you can add meringue floats.

Similar Stories

This was the first time I tried this on top of a Moscow Mule. It was a shiny, creamy whipped cream that I mistakenly thought was my first impression. I wouldn’t have thought to put meringue on a cocktail. It would have been a sticky nightmare. But no! The meringue was light and fluffy and perfectly complemented the ginger beer and lime acidity. The topping was delicious on its own. I could have enjoyed the salty rim of a margarita or the cinnamon sugar rim of seasonal pumpkin beer. But it’s better to get the best of both. A meringue floating is more than a flavored one.

The meringue tastes sweet and fluffy, almost like a shapeless marshmallow. It doesn’t turn gelatinous. It has a luxurious texture and is soft. The topping doesn’t weep or dissolve like whipped cream toppings in your drink. The best part is that the meringue topping will protect the cup from temperature loss and entry. It acts as edible insulation. Have you ever heard of baked Alaska? It is an ice cream cake covered in meringue and baked. Because meringue contains air bubbles (which don’t transfer energy well), the ice cream remains cold, while the meringue outside gets a toasted brush.

While I don’t think your ice will melt or your Irish hot cocoa won’t get colder from the heat moving through your cup’s sides, it won’t escape the top. If you want to keep your drink at the same temperature as before, use a vacuum-insulated mug or a meringue-topped mug.

Place one to two inches of water into a small or medium saucepan—heat on medium heat. Then, place the egg whites and sugar in a bowl on top. This is called a bain-marie. Make sure the bowl is not touching the water level. The egg whites will thicken if the boiling water touches the bowl.

Mix the egg whites with the boiling water in a saucepan. Once you have placed the bowl on the boil, whisk the mixture continuously.

Swiss Meringue Ratio & Method

Continue to whisk for about 3-4 minutes or until the mixture steams gently. You can test it by placing your finger in the mix. You can transfer the mixture to the mixer if it is warm and there are no sugar granules on your finger.

Use a whisk attachment to whip the egg whites for 5-10 minutes until they reach a soft peak. Add a flavoring extract to the egg whites by slowly stirring it at the end. Add a bit of Swiss meringue to your cocktail.