Classic Italian Meringue

This meringue may be used alone to top cake, or it can be folded into another mixture, such as a mousse, Bavarian cream, pastry cream or lemon curd. You can bake or broil it. You can even count on it to insulate ice cream from melting too quickly, as in a baked Alaska. Add butter to it, and you have Italian Meringue Buttercream.