Fluffier than its French counterpart and as stable as its Italian counterpart, Swiss meringue is a light and airy concoction consisting of egg whites and sugar. The ingredients are steadily whisked over a bain-marie until they cool and develop a thick and glossy meringue, which is then usually baked.

It is often used as a base for buttercream frostings, pavlova, meringue cookies, or any kind of meringue-topped pie.

Fruit meringue is a dessert that consists of a crisp meringue base or shell that is topped or filled with fruit. Meringue is typically made by whisking egg whites with sugar until a firm and glossy mixture is developed. The meringue batter is then usually formed into round shapes, or optionally into meringue nests, which are baked until crisp and slightly golden.

Once baked, the meringues are topped or filled with a fruit mixture that can be made with fresh or candied fruit and berries, usually raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, mandarin oranges, and pineapple cubes. Crispy, fluffy, and with a sweet fruity filling, the dessert is also often enriched with whipping cream, like in the case of the famous pavlova.

Italian meringue is the most stable of all the varieties (Italian, Swiss, and French). It is typically made with heated sugar syrup that is then gradually added to beaten egg whites with soft peaks, and the whole concoction is whipped until the firm, glossy peaks start to develop.

Due to its smooth texture and stability, Italian meringue is an ideal choice for mousses and cake frostings, but it can also be used as a topping for pies or to lighten sorbets and ice creams.