This weekend I’m off to visit my family and was thinking about taking a little treat with me. Before Christmas last year I made a pavlova and it was a huge hit with the family so I thought I would make little meringue nests this time around so everyone can make their own little pavlova’s.
I ended up using two different recipes because the first set of meringues did not go well and ended up burnt. Therefore, I made another batch using a different recipe and different method. I will put both recipes and method below. I preferred the second recipe and method.
Meringues
Servings 9 meringues
Ingredients
Recipe 1
- 3 fresh egg whites
- ½ tsp lemon juice
- 150 g caster sugar
Recipe 2
- 3 egg whites
- 175 g golden caster sugar
Instructions
Method 1
- Heat oven to 110 degrees/gas ¼. Pencil 9 circles, about 7cm each, onto baking parchment. Tip the egg whites and lemon juice into the clean bowl of a food mixer. Whisk until the whites double in volume and hold a peak when the whisk is drawn through them.
- Keep the whisk running and add the sugar a tablespoon at a time, incorporating completely before adding the next. Whisk until all the sugar has been added and the whites are glossy.
- Place a square baking parchment on a large baking sheet. Spoon the meringue into a large piping bag fitted with a plain nozzle and pipe concentric rounds to fit each drawn circle, piping two or more rings around the edge to form a nest.
- Bake for 2 hours until they are crisp and lift of the paper easily. Leave to cool completely. Add your own toppings when your ready to eat them.
Method 2
- Preheat oven on at 150 degrees/ gas 2. Separate the egg whites into a large bowl and start whisking on a slow speed for about two minutes then switch to a medium speed for a further minute. Then on to the highest speed and continue whisking until you have soft peaks.
- Whisk the sugar in on a fast speed, about a tablespoon at a time until you have a stiff and glossy mixture with a satin sheen.
- Spoon onto a baking sheet lined with baking parchment. Turn the oven down to 140 degrees/gas 1 for 30 minutes then turn the oven off completely and leave to cool in the oven until oven is completely cooled so about 4 hours later.
- Then remove from the baking parchment and put in an air tight container until you want them or have them immediately.
Everyone enjoyed creating their own meringues with fresh whipped cream and an assortment of fruit.
