A stable meringue is the building block upon which the rest of this pastry is formed. It starts with a clean, grease-free mixing bowl and wire whip. Grease can hinder egg whites’ ability to reach full volume.

Beat egg whites until they form stiff peaks. This means the egg white should stand straight up from the beater in a peak that does not droop to one side. Overbeaten egg whites have clumps along the edges of the beater, so check your consistency frequently when it starts to get close.

Once your egg whites are beaten, you’ll make your meringue. Ironically, the best French macarons are made using an Italian meringue. French meringues incorporate granulated sugar into the whipped egg whites, but Italian meringue utilizes sugar syrup at 240 F, gradually added to the egg whites as they whip. The Italian method makes for a sturdier meringue — necessary for a macaron to develop its feet (also called pieds in French).

If you prefer not to mess with boiled sugar syrup, there are other ways to stabilize your French meringue. Some pastry chefs add a pinch of cream of tartar or powdered egg whites, while others use a drop or two of lemon juice. This choice may also depend on your macaron recipe — some macarons require a specific process.