What type of meringue is beaten over a hot water bath?

Swiss meringue is prepared by gently heating egg whites and sugar together over a hot water bath, which helps to dissolve the sugar completely before whipping. This method stabilizes the meringue structure as the heat slightly cooks the egg whites, allowing for a smooth and glossy texture that is ideal for buttercreams and other applications where stability is key.

This gentle heating also makes Swiss meringue less prone to collapse compared to French meringue, which is simply whipped at room temperature, and distinguishes it from Italian meringue, where hot sugar syrup is incorporated into beaten egg whites. Royal meringue is a different variant that incorporates additional ingredients like cornstarch, but it is not typically made using a hot water bath method.