8 Meringue Recipes To Up Your Pudding Game

8 Meringue Recipes To Up Your Pudding Game

Nothing says summer quite like a meringue piled high with berries and cream. These days, shop-bought meringue nests are just as acceptable as the real thing, so whether you’re after a quick cheat or a show-stopping party piece, there’s something to suit every kind of cook. If you’re in need of some inspiration, eight chefs share their favourite ways to use them.
Photography: WALKER'S

Grilled Meringue With Rum-Infused Tropical Fruit: Judy Joo, Seoul Bird

Serves
Serves 4
Total Time
45 Minutes
Ingredients
4 meringue nests
½ pineapple, peeled
1 mango, peeled and sliced into 1cm pieces
150ml of dark rum
2 tbsp of brown sugar
1 punnet of raspberries
2 tbsp of raspberry jam
1 jar of lemon curd or Sicilian lemon yogurt
2 passion fruits, pulp removed
12 fresh raspberries
1 lime, zested
Method
Step 1

Preheat the grill.

Step 2

Gently pierce each meringue on a thin skewer and toast over the grill until lightly browned on the edges.

Step 3

Remove from heat and set aside.

Step 4

Peel and slice the pineapple and mangoes into ½-inch thick pieces.

Step 5

In a small bowl, whisk together the rum and sugar. Place the pineapple and mango in the bowl and toss to coat. Allow to sit for at least 30 minutes to marinate.

Step 6

Place the fruit on the grill and cook until marked, turning as necessary, brush the fruit often with the rum.

Step 7

Once cooked, remove from heat and cut into diced sized pieces and place the fruit back into the rum mixture.

Step 8

Next, mix the lemon curd yoghurt until well incorporated.

Step 9

In a small bowl, place 1 tbsp of the raspberry jam and gently warm it up in a cast iron pan over indirect heat on the grill.

Step 10

Once warmed through, pass the jam through a fine sieve to remove the seeds. Reserve the jam in a bowl and set aside.

Step 11

Place a spoonful of jam in the centre of the plate and make a swish with the jam using the back of the spoon.

Step 12

Place the toasted meringue on the swish and spoon the yogurt into the centre of the meringue.

Step 13

Then top the yogurt with a dollop of raspberry jam.

Step 14

Top with diced pineapple and mango. Finish by drizzling a spoonful of passion fruit pulp over the meringue and fruit.

Step 15

Garnish with fresh raspberries freshly grated lime zest. Serve immediately.

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Maple-Sweetened Rhubarb Meringues: Maple From Canada

Serves
Serves 12
Total Time
30 Minutes
Ingredients
60ml of maple syrup, plus extra to drizzle (preferably amber syrup for its rich taste)
200g of rhubarb, chopped
1 orange
Pomegranate seeds
6 egg whites, room temperature
300g of sugar
2 tsp of cornflour
Method
Step 1

Add chopped rhubarb to a pan with the maple syrup, cook for around 10 mins until rhubarb has softened and sauce has thickened. Set aside to cool. You can make this ahead of time and keep it in the fridge.

Step 2

For the meringue, pre-heat oven to 150°C/Gas Mark 2. Line a tray with baking parchment and draw 12 two-inch circles.

Step 3

Turn the paper over so the ink doesn’t rub off onto your meringues.

Step 4

Add egg whites to a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, mix on low, increasing to medium until egg white become foamy peaks

Step 5

Then add sugar a few tbsp at a time until incorporated and meringue becomes stiff and glossy. Mix in cornflour.

Step 6

Spoon the mixture into your circles, flattening part to hold your maple rhubarb later on.

Step 7

Bake for 35-45 minutes, making sure they don’t brown.

Step 8

Once that time is up, leave the meringue in the oven for two hours. Do not open the door. These meringues have a crispy exterior and soft interior.

Step 9

Once ready, pile high with delicious maple sweetened rhubarb compote and top with orange segments, pomegranate seeds and a generous drizzle of maple syrup.

Bannoffee Meringue Nest: Walker’s

Serves
Serves 4
Total Time
10 Minutes
Ingredients
4 meringue nests
2 bananas
150ml of double cream, whipped
Shop-bought caramel or toffee sauce
Crushed chocolate honeycomb
Method
Step 1

Lay the meringue nests out on a tray.

Step 2

Fill and spread the nests with caramel or toffee sauce, then add the whipped cream on top.

Step 3

Chop up the bananas into thin slices and place a few on top of the whipped cream.

Step 4

Crush the chocolate honeycomb and sprinkle on top.

Step 5

Then repeat and load up all the other meringue nests. Serve immediately.

White Chocolate Pavlova: Jens Knoops, Knoops

Serves
Serves 8
Total Time
2 Hours 30 Minutes
Ingredients
For the meringue:
6 egg whites, room temperature
300g of unrefined caster sugar
2 tsp of cornflour, sifted
1 tsp of white wine vinegar
1 tsp of cream of tartar
100g of white or ruby chocolate flakes
To serve:
300ml of whipping cream
200g of raspberries
200g of blackberries
50g of ruby chocolate flakes
25g of shelled pistachios, roughly chopped
Dark chocolate flakes to scatter
Method
Step 1

Preheat your oven to 150°C/130°C Fan/Gas Mark 2.

Step 2

Begin by selecting a large mixing bowl. Whisk the egg whites in the bowl until they reach the soft peak stage.

Step 3

Add the sugar slowly, either spoonful by spoonful or in a thin steady stream, while whisking.

Step 4

Continue until all the sugar is incorporated and the mixture is thick and glossy without any grittiness.

Step 5

Gently fold through the sifted cornflour, the vinegar and the cream of tartar, folding for no longer than 30 seconds.

Step 6

Spread the meringue into a 20cm circle on a lined baking tray.

Step 7

Gently raise the sides to form peaks, making sure the centre crater is shallower.

Step 8

Place in the centre of the oven, then immediately lower the temperature to 120°C/100°C Fan/Gas Mark ½ for 75 minutes.

Step 9

Switch the oven off completely and leave the meringue inside, without opening the door, for a further 4-5 hours or overnight to cool completely.

Step 10

Melt the white or ruby chocolate flakes in a bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Spread a thin layer over the meringue crater.

Step 11

Leave to set and form a crispy shell.

Step 12

Just before serving, whip the cream to soft peaks and spoon into the meringue.

Step 13

Melt 50g of ruby chocolate flakes in a bowl over a saucepan of simmering water, and use a spoon to drizzle over the whipped cream.

Step 14

Cover with raspberries and blackberries, and sprinkle over the chopped pistachios.

Strawberry & Hazelnut Meringue Cake: Waitrose & Partners

Serves
Serves 10
Total Time
1 Hour 5 Minutes
Ingredients
100g of blanched hazelnuts
Sunflower oil, for greasing
150g of caster sugar, plus an extra 2 tbsp
3 British Blacktail free-range egg whites
Pinch of salt
½ tsp of white wine vinegar
170ml of double cream
½ tsp of vanilla bean paste
170g of Greek-style natural yogurt
400g pack of strawberries, hulled and sliced
Method
Step 1

Preheat the oven to 180˚C/Gas Mark 4.

Step 2

Put the hazelnuts on a small baking tray and roast for 8 minutes or until golden; set aside to cool.

Step 3

Meanwhile, grease and line the base and sides of two loose-bottomed 18cm sandwich cake tins.

Step 4

Put the cooled hazelnuts and 1 tbsp of caster sugar in a small food processor; pulse until ground (a few chunky pieces are fine).

Step 5

Put the egg whites and pinch of salt in a mixing bowl.

Step 6

Using electric beaters, whisk to stiff peaks, then whisk in 150g of caster sugar in three additions.

Step 7

Fold through the ground hazelnuts and vinegar, divide between the tins, smoothing the tops, then bake for 30-35 minutes. Set aside to cool.

Step 8

Using electric beaters, whisk the cream, remaining 1 tbsp of sugar and vanilla to soft peaks. Stir in the yogurt.

Step 9

Remove the meringue cakes from the tins; place one on a cake stand. Spread with half the cream mixture and tumble over half the strawberries.

Step 10

Repeat with a second layer and serve at once.

Raspberry Meringue Cake

Serves
Serves 8
Total Time
45 Minutes
Ingredients
100g of butter, at room temperature, plus extra for greasing
300g of golden caster sugar
4 medium eggs, separated
2 tsp of vanilla extract
2 tbsp of milk
150g of self-raising flour
½ tsp of table salt
50g of flaked almonds
300ml of whipping cream
200g of fresh raspberries
Icing sugar, for dusting
Method
Step 1

Preheat the oven to 200°C/Gas Mark 6.

Step 2

Butter and base line two 20-22cm non-stick, cake tins. Using an electric whisk, beat the butter and 100g of the sugar together in a bowl until pale and creamy, then whisk in the egg yolks, vanilla and milk.

Step 3

Sift over the flour and gently fold in. Divide equally between the prepared tins.

Step 4

Using clean beaters, whisk the egg whites in a bowl until they form soft peaks.

Step 5

Gradually beat in the salt and remaining 200g sugar to make a glossy meringue.

Step 6

Spread over the sponge mixture then scatter over the flaked almonds.

Step 7

Bake for 15-20 minutes until golden and set. Leave to cool in the tins.

Step 8

When ready to assemble, remove the cakes from the tins.

Step 9

In a bowl, whisk the cream to form soft peaks. Spoon over one of the cakes and scatter over the raspberries.

Step 10

Top with the second cake and dust lightly with icing sugar before slicing and serving.

Lemon Sherbet Meringue Pie: Gizzi Erskine, Slow

Serves
Serves 8
Total Time
1 Hour 10 Minutes
Ingredients
For the pastry
225g of plain flour
Pinch of salt
170g of ice-cold butter, cut into small cubes
1 egg whisked with 1 tsp ice-cold water
1 tbsp of caster sugar
For the filling
300ml of lemon juice
100ml of lime juice
100ml of orange or tangerine juice 50ml of water
240g of caster sugar
1 tsp of salt
Zest of 1 grapefruit
4 tbsp of cornflour
100ml of gin
170g of butter
6 egg yolks plus 2 whole eggs
For the meringue
350g of golden caster sugar
4 egg whites
1 tsp of vanilla extract
Method
Step 1

First make the pastry. Place the flour in a food processor with the salt and sugar and whizz for a few seconds (this is a great way to ditch the process of sifting flour).

Step 2

Add the butter, and whizz again for about 20 seconds, or until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.

Step 3

Turn out into a fridge-cold mixing bowl, and with a cold knife, slowly add enough of the whisked egg and water to bind the mixture together, being careful not to make the dough too wet.

Step 4

Bind the pastry into a ball. Kneading will make it tough, so try to handle it as little as possible.

Step 5

Lay the pastry on a baking sheet and roll out to flatten a little. Cover with cling film and leave in the fridge to rest for 30 minutes or until needed.

Step 6

Once you are ready to make the pie, preheat the oven to 190˚C/170˚C Fan/Gas Mark 5. Dust the work surface with flour and roll out the pastry until it’s the thickness of a 50p piece.

Step 7

Very carefully line a 24cm deep tart tin. Let the pastry overhang the edge of the tart dish so you can trim it once it has been blind baked.

Step 8

Place the lined tin in the freezer for 10 minutes and then line the raw pastry with grease proof paper. filled with baking beans and blind bake it for 20 minutes.

Step 9

Remove from the oven, take out the baking beans and grease proof paper and pop it back for a further 10 minutes.

Step 10

Take out and leave to cool. Lower the oven temperature to 140˚C/120˚C Fan/Gas Mark 1.

Step 11

When the pastry is cool, carefully trim the pastry edges away with a knife, carving off the excess against the side of the tin, then brush away any crumbs with a pastry brush.

Step 12

While the pastry bakes, prepare the filling. Put the juices, water, sugar, salt and zest in a pan and bring to the boil.

Step 13

Mix the cornflour with the gin to form a smooth paste and whisk this into the juice mixture.

Step 14

Keep whisking and it will start to thicken. Lower the heat and add the butter, whisking until it has all melted.

Step 15

Now take the pan off the heat and stir in the eggs, beating furiously until you have a lovely smooth consistency.

Step 16

Leave to rest covered with some cling film touching the surface of the sherbet curd to stop a skin forming while you wait for the base to bake and cool.

Step 17

When ready to fill the tart, sieve the filling into the tart case to ensure a perfectly silky consistency. Level it out carefully with a spatula and return to the oven for 30 minutes.

Step 18

To make the meringue, place the sugar in a saucepan and add four tablespoons of water and the vanilla.

Step 19

Turn on the heat and bring to the boil until the sugar is melted, but do not stir as this will crystallise the sugar syrup.

Step 20

Whisk the egg whites into soft peaks so they fall down on themselves, and keeping the whisk going, slowly pour in the sugar syrup until it is all incorporated.

Step 21

With a metal spoon, top the tart with the meringue, creating lovely peaks as you go.

Step 22

Turn the oven up to 180˚C/160˚C Fan/Gas Mark 4 and cook the pie for 10 minutes until golden brown on top.

Step 23

Remove from the oven and leave to cool for an hour before serving.

Rose & Pistachio Pavlova: Anjum Anand, The Spice Tailor

Serves
Serves 6
Total Time
1 Hour 45 Minutes
Ingredients
4 egg whites
250g of caster sugar plus 1 tsp for cream
½ tsp of white wine vinegar
9 fresh apricots
Large pinch of saffron
2 large pinches of dried rose petals or rose essence to taste
1 cup of sugar
2 cups of water
300g of double cream
4 tbsp of proper Greek yoghurt (it should be very thick)
6 tbsp of coarsely ground pistachios plus a good handful for garnish
Method
Step 1

Preheat the oven to 200°C. Place greaseproof paper on your baking tray with a little oil underneath so that it stays in place as you spoon the pavlova on to it.

Step 2

Place the whites, with no traces of yolks, into a clean whisking bowl and whisk until the eggs reach soft peaks.

Step 3

Add the sugar all at once and continue whisking until it has dissolved and the meringue is glossy and it drops in ribbons from your spoon.

Step 4

Add the vinegar and after a few beats add the coarsely ground pistachios and stir it in by hand.

Step 5

Form 6 equal sized small round meringues on the baking sheet.

Step 6

Place in the oven, turn the temperature right down to 120°C and bake for 80 minutes before setting aside. They can be made a day in advance.

Step 7

Halve the apricots and remove the stone.

Step 8

Bring the water and sugar to boil in a medium-sized saucepan.

Step 9

Once the sugar has dissolved, add the saffron and rose petals. Simmer for a few minutes and add the apricots.

Step 10

Poach until they are soft, around 4-6 minutes. Take off the heat and leave to cool in the syrup.

Step 11

When you are ready to eat, whisk the cream and extra sugar until it just holds its form. Stir in the yoghurt.

Step 12

Spoon over the meringues and top each with three halves of the apricots and a little syrup over the top.

Step 13

Sprinkle over the remaining pistachios and serve.

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