How to Beat Egg Whites

Egg whites can go through five stages when beaten depending upon the end result needed. Do NOT stop the mixer in between any of them; keep going until you reach your final stage because beaten egg whites deflate when they sit. Beaten egg whites or meringue are usually folded into other ingredients.

Sugar is often added and it is then called a meringue. Sugar stabilizes them so they can be shaped and baked or folded into an Angel Food Cake Recipe. Follow your recipe's instructions when adding sugar to the egg white foam.

Do not overbeat the egg whites; if they are beaten too stiff, there is no more stretch left for them to rise when baked -- some or will pop during the whipping stage and will collapse. 

Do not underbeat the egg whites. If not beaten enough, they can't hold the amount of air necessary for a lift.  Both result in a flat recipe, such as a cake.

Make sure you use room temperature egg whites with no yolk or visible shells floating in them. Start with a grease-free bowl and beaters. Use a stand mixer when you have a large amount of whites to beat; use a hand-held electric mixer when beating a small amount.

If adding extracts, quickly and evenly sprinkle over the meringue when it has almost formed either soft, firm or stiff peaks with the mixer is still running.

Start with a MEDIUM-LOW TO MEDIUM MIXER SPEED: This beginning step is one of the most overlooked and important steps. If using a 1/4 cup or less, all of the sugar can added here. For larger amounts, wait until the soft peak stage. When the egg white foam looks cloudy, increase the mixer speed to MEDIUM-HIGH. Salt or cream of tartar is added at this stage.

SOFT PEAK STAGE - The soft peak stage is reached when the peaks of the whites droop slightly, when the beater is turned off and lifted. Do not continue beating past this stage as the whites will become dry. However, if going to the firm peak stage, the mixer speed should be increased to HIGH. 

Add sugar here if you are going to stop at this stage. If adding sugar, do so a little at a time, which takes 4 - 5 minutes or in a steady stream at the edge of the bowl. If necessary, whip until the foam is white and opaque and begins to hold a soft peak, taking another 2 or 3 minutes.

FIRM PEAK STAGE: The egg white foam will become smooth, moist and shiny. Stop the beaters and then lift them -- straight peaks should form. Add your sugar here if only beating to firm peaks or if beating to stiff peaks.

HIGH MIXER SPEED:  For a stiff meringue, add the sugar at this stage, a little at a time -- about 1 to 2 tablespoons, if you have the time -- or, add in a steady stream at the side of the mixing bowl to prevent the foam from deflating. 

If going to the stiff peak stage, mixer speed should remain on high. 

STIFF PEAK STAGE Beat until the egg whites are very stiff and glossy.

Stiff meringue can be made when sugar is added here. 

HIGH MIXER SPEED: If the recipe calls for whipped egg whites with stiff peaks, beat until the egg whites are stiff and glossy. To check, stop the beaters and lift them. 

If egg whites are beaten to dry and dull, they are overbeaten -- Watch carefully, because egg whites can go from stiff to dry and overbeaten in as little as 30 seconds.