1 ½ cups sugar
¼ cup water
6 egg whites
A pinch of salt
A pinch of cream of tartar
Bring water and sugar to a boil in a heavy bottomed medium size pan. Stir until the sugar is dissolved. Use a wet pastry brush to brush any sugar clinging to the sides into the boiling mixture. Boil until a candy thermometer clipped to the side of the pan reads 247° F.
While the sugar and water boil whisk the egg whites in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Add the salt and cream of tartar. Continue whisking until the egg whites hold soft peaks.
With the mixer on medium speed slowly pour the sugar syrup down the side of the bowl into the egg whites. Once combined, increase the speed to high and whisk until the mixture is stiff, shiny and no longer hot. This will take about 5 minutes.
The sugar syrup cooks the egg whites so you only need to toast the meringue with a pastry torch.
For a deeper dive into meringue read What is meringue? From Master Class.
Use Italian Meringue to top a Baked Alaska like the one from this Food and Wine Baked Alaska Birthday Cake recipe.