What does the sugar early vs sugar slowly experiment test?

It tests one variable: how the sugar is added. The idea is that egg whites with sugar added slowly hold a glossier, stiffer foam than whites with sugar dumped in at once.

25-minute experiment

Sugar early vs sugar slowly

Stable meringue is patient.

The idea

Egg whites with sugar added slowly hold a glossier, stiffer foam than whites with sugar dumped in at once.

The one thing you change: How the sugar is added

You need

2 egg whites
1/2 cup sugar
A clean bowl
A whisk or mixer

Steps

Whip each white to soft peaks in a clean bowl.
Add half the sugar to one in a single scoop. Add the rest of the sugar to the other a spoonful at a time.
Whip both to stiff peaks and compare gloss and grain. Don't eat the meringue, since the whites are raw. Egg allergy? Skip this one.

What you should find

The slow sugar meringue is smooth and shiny. The dumped sugar meringue looks grainy and loose.

From the app

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Step-by-step mode with timers, in the free app.

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The science behind it

Making stable meringue

Whisking unfolds egg-white proteins, and they link into a net around air bubbles. Add sugar slowly, about 50 g (1/4 cup) per white for a firm meringue. A…

Read the explainer

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