What is the difference between Mexican meringue and French meringue?

French meringue is made only with egg whites and sugar whisked cold, while Italian and Swiss versions include hot syrup or heat during the whisking. The Mexican street meringue is a simple French meringue, dried in a low oven, generally larger in size and with a more rustic texture than fine European versions. It is distinguished by its street setting and the volado game.

What do Mexican meringues taste like?

They taste mainly of pure sugar sweetness with a subtle background of egg and sometimes vanilla. The texture is what characterises them: a crunchy shell that breaks on the first bite, an airy and slightly sticky interior that melts slowly releasing sweetness. Coloured versions may have notes of strawberry, lemon or artificial flavours.

How are street meringues served?

They are served freshly bought from the merenguero, usually wrapped in a sheet of kraft paper or a napkin. They are eaten by taking bites as an on-the-go snack in squares, parks or school outings. The ritual includes the announcing shout and often the volado: the customer wagers their payment on the toss of a coin. They are also served on sweet tables at children's parties and events.

Where do meringues originate?

Meringue originates from Europe (Switzerland or Italy, seventeenth century), but its Mexican street version is the product of nineteenth-century cultural mestizaje, when the New Spanish convents taught the technique to the popular classes who transformed it into a square-side snack. The figure of the wandering merenguero and the volado game are unique Mexican creations that do not exist in the original European tradition.

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Mexican meringues: the street egg-white sweet

What is it?

Mexican meringues are a traditional sweet made with egg whites whipped to stiff peaks and refined sugar, dried in the oven or in the sun until they have a crunchy exterior and slightly soft interior. They can be classic white, pink, green or multicoloured, in the shape of drops, cones or stars. They are one of the most recognisable Mexican street sweets: sold on large trays by merengueros who tour parks, squares, schools and church atriums shouting "merengueeero", their traditional commercialisation includes a game of chance called "volado" where the customer tosses a coin and, depending on the result, pays, receives the meringue for free or takes more pieces. This playful dimension makes them much more than a sweet: a cultural experience.

Origin and history

Meringue as a baking technique emerged in Europe, probably in Switzerland or Italy in the seventeenth century, attributed to the Italian pastry chef Gasparini of Meiringen. It arrived in Mexico with the convent baking of the viceregal period and became popular as a street sweet in the nineteenth century, when convents were important suppliers of cakes and sweets for religious celebrations. Larousse Cocina notes that in Mexico the meringue was democratised: it stopped being a refined dining sweet to become a fair, square and market snack. México Desconocido documents that the figure of the wandering merenguero emerged at the end of the nineteenth century and consolidated in the twentieth, with its characteristic shouts that form part of the soundscape of Mexican cities. The volado game (coin in the air to win or lose) is the merenguero's invention, possibly derived from popular games of chance. Today, although the figure of the wandering merenguero is in decline, it survives in markets, central parks and patron-saint fairs.

Characteristic ingredients

Making the Mexican meringue is simple in ingredients but demanding in technique. Fresh egg whites (with no trace of yolk) are whipped in a clean, dry container, ideally steel or glass, until soft peaks are achieved. Refined sugar is added little by little while continuing to whisk, until reaching the "firm peaks" or stiff, glossy, satin peaks. The traditional proportion is two tablespoons of sugar per egg white. Some merengueros add a drop of vinegar or cream of tartar that stabilises the mixture. It can be flavoured with vanilla and coloured with vegetable or artificial dyes. The mixture is piped onto trays with a piping bag or a spoon, forming mounds of 3-5 cm. They are baked at very low temperature (90-100 °C) for 1-2 hours until completely dry. The traditional street meringues are made in a large version (10-15 cm) and usually have more body and external crunch, with a slightly chewy interior.

Cultural significance

The Mexican meringue and the figure of the merenguero form part of the intangible heritage of Mexican cities, especially Mexico City, Puebla, Oaxaca, Mérida and Guadalajara. The shout of "¡merengueeero!" echoing across squares and parks has been part of the national soundscape for more than a century, portrayed in literature and costumbrista cinema. The volado game, where the buyer wagers a coin with the merenguero, is a unique piece of Mexican street commerce: if they win, they take several meringues for the price of one; if they lose, they pay and receive only one or none. This playful dimension reflects the festive and daring spirit of popular culture. Today wandering merengueros have decreased due to urban regulation and industrial competition, but they survive in traditional markets (La Merced, Coyoacán, Centro Histórico) and at fairs. Traditional Mexican cuisine recognised by UNESCO includes expressions of popular confectionery such as the meringue within community heritage.

Related recipes

Now that you know what it is, try cooking it at home with our step-by-step recipes:

Merengues Mexicanos (Mexican Fair Meringues)

Ingredients to cook it

Find where to buy authentic ingredients in Mexican shops in the US:

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between Mexican meringue and French meringue?: French meringue is made only with egg whites and sugar whisked cold, while Italian and Swiss versions include hot syrup or heat during the whisking. The Mexican street meringue is a simple French meringue, dried in a low oven, generally larger in size and with a more rustic texture than fine European versions. It is distinguished by its street setting and the volado game.
What do Mexican meringues taste like?: They taste mainly of pure sugar sweetness with a subtle background of egg and sometimes vanilla. The texture is what characterises them: a crunchy shell that breaks on the first bite, an airy and slightly sticky interior that melts slowly releasing sweetness. Coloured versions may have notes of strawberry, lemon or artificial flavours.
How are street meringues served?: They are served freshly bought from the merenguero, usually wrapped in a sheet of kraft paper or a napkin. They are eaten by taking bites as an on-the-go snack in squares, parks or school outings. The ritual includes the announcing shout and often the volado: the customer wagers their payment on the toss of a coin. They are also served on sweet tables at children's parties and events.
Where do meringues originate?: Meringue originates from Europe (Switzerland or Italy, seventeenth century), but its Mexican street version is the product of nineteenth-century cultural mestizaje, when the New Spanish convents taught the technique to the popular classes who transformed it into a square-side snack. The figure of the wandering merenguero and the volado game are unique Mexican creations that do not exist in the original European tradition.