This unsung hero of the cooking world helps create fluffy cakes, glossy meringues and sweet cooking syrups.

Caught empty-handed while cooking?

Skip the frantic grocery-store run with these smart swaps.

Hand of woman holding measure spoon with cream tartar to put it into egg whites before beating - stock photo

Tatiana Gorbunova / Getty Images

What is cream of tartar?

What does cream of tartar do?

The resulting meringue is added to the lemon base to give it a light, fluffy texture.

snowman meringue