Break All The Rules Meringue
This is a gem of a recipe – so called because we use icing sugar instead of caster sugar and whisk it all in together instead of adding the sugar in stages. I hope this will take the mystery and the terror out of meringue making for those who are daunted by the prospect. We make all kinds of shapes with this all-purpose recipe.
Ingredients
- 2 organic egg whites
- 125g (4 1∕2oz) icing sugar
- Sieved 300ml (10fl oz)
- Whipped cream
Method
Preheat the oven to 150ºC/Gas Mark 2. Line a baking sheet with silicone paper. Check that the mixing bowl is dry, spotlessly clean and free from grease or any residue of detergent. Put the icing sugar and egg whites into the bowl, and whisk until the mixture forms stiff dry peaks. Pipe or shape as you wish. Bake immediately in the preheated oven for 45 minutes or until crisp. Turn off the oven and allow to cool. The meringues should peel easily off the silicone paper. The meringues will keep for several weeks in a tin.
Serves about 12
Variations
Almond, Hazelnut or Pistachio Meringue 45g (1 1/2oz)
Method
Chosen nuts, coarsely chopped Fold roughly chopped, peeled and toasted almond or hazelnuts into the meringue mixture just before shaping. Pistachio nuts don't need to be toasted.
Variations Meringue Cake Mark two 19cm (7 1∕2 inch) circles on silicone paper or a prepared baking sheet. Make the meringue mixture as above, divide between the two circles and spread evenly with a palette knife.
Bake as before and cool – if you chill them for an hour before serving, they will be easier to cut. Peel off the paper and sandwich the two rounds together with softly whipped cream and fresh berries.
Pastel Meringues Just add a very few drops of natural food colouring to the meringue mixture and shape, bake and sandwich with whipped cream as desired.
Meringue Roulade
Ingredients
Same as basic meringue recipe x 2
Method
Make the meringue mixture as in master recipe. Line a 32 x 20cm (12 x 8 inch)
Swiss roll tin with silicone paper and spread the meringue evenly over it.
Cook in a moderate oven for 15–18 minutes. When cold, fill with whipped cream and homemade lemon curd or fresh berries and roll up carefully like a Swiss roll.
Chocolate Meringue with Chocolate and Rum Cream and Chocolate Wafers
Ingredients
- 2 egg whites 110g (4oz) icing sugar * (hold back 15g/1/2oz to mix with the cocoa powder)
- 2 rounded teaspoons cocoa powder
- Filling 300ml (10fl oz) of softly whipped cream or Chocolate and Rum Cream Chocolate and Rum Cream 25g (1oz) best quality dark chocolate
- 15g (1/2oz) unsweetened chocolate 300ml (10fl oz)
- Softly whipped cream
- 1 tablespoon Jamaican rum
- 1 tablespoon cream Chocolate Wafers 50g (2oz)
- Best-quality dark chocolate
Method
Preheat the oven to 150ºC/Gas Mark 2. Mark two 18cm (7 inch) circles on silicone paper on a prepared baking sheet. Check that the bowl is dry, spotlessly clean and free of grease.
Put the egg whites into the bowl and add 95g (scant 3 1/2oz) icing sugar all at once; whisk until the mixture forms stiff, dry peaks, 10 minutes approx.
Sieve together the cocoa and the remaining 15g (1/2oz) icing sugar and fold in very gently. Spread and bake immediately in the preheated oven for 45 minutes or until just crisp.
Allow to get completely cold then peel off the paper. Next make the chocolate wafers Melt the chocolate in a bowl over barely simmering water. Stir until quite smooth. Spread on a flat piece of heavy, white notepaper or light card. Put into a cold place until stiff enough to cut in square or diamond shapes.
Meanwhile make the whipped cream or the Chocolate and Rum Cream. Very gently melt the chocolate with the rum, and 1 tablespoon of cream in a Pyrex bowl over barely simmering water. Cool and then fold the mixture into the softly whipped cream; don't stir too much or it may curdle. Sandwich the two meringue discs together with whipped cream or Chocolate and Rum Cream and decorate with chocolate wafers.
Alternatively, just drizzle melted chocolate over the top.
Serves 6
Vegan Aquafaba Almond Meringues
Meringues come in many different flavours, shapes and forms. But one of the most emblematic is the kind you find in bakery windows: a vanilla-flavoured, white meringue, sprinkled with grilled almonds. The taste will put you up on cloud nine!
Ingredients
- 100ml (3 1/2fl oz) aquafaba (chickpea cooking liquid)
- 3ml (1/2 teaspoon) lemon juice
- 5ml (1 teaspoon) vanilla extract
- 200g (7oz) icing sugar 4g (1 teaspoon) cream of tartar flaked almonds
Method
Preheat the oven to 120°C/Gas Mark 1/2. Move the oven shelf to the bottom of the oven. Pour the aquafaba, lemon juice and vanilla extract into the stand mixer and whisk at full power for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, mix the icing sugar with the cream of tartar, and sieve to remove any lumps of sugar. Once the aquafaba mixture has formed stiff peaks, add the icing sugar mixture gradually, whisking for a further 3 minutes. The meringue mixture is ready to use when it doesn't fall easily from the whisk. Use the mixture to fill a pastry bag with a star-shaped nozzle. Pipe out equally sized meringues on a baking tray covered with baking paper. Sprinkle some almond flakes on top, pressing lightly to embed them and bake for 1 hour 15 minutes without opening the oven. Leave to cool completely and store in a dry place for a half or whole day before serving. Note The meringues can be kept for a few days in a dry place and in the open air.
Makes 7 meringues