Meringue Rolls Food

LEMON MERINGUE ROULADE WITH PISTACHIO

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6. Line a 23x33cm/9x13in Swiss roll tin with greased non-stick baking paper.
• Whisk the egg whites in a clean large bowl using an electric mixer on full speed until very stiff. Gradually add the sugar, a teaspoon at a time, and still on high speed, whisking well between each addition. Whisk until very, very stiff and glossy and all the sugar has been added.
• Spread the meringue mixture into the prepared tin, sprinkle with the chopped nuts. Bake for about 8 minutes until very golden-brown. Lower the oven to 160C/140C Fan/Gas 3 and bake for 15 minutes more until firm to the touch. Remove and turn upside down on a piece of non-stick baking paper. Carefully peel the paper from the base of the meringue and leave it to cool for about 10 minutes.
• To make the lemon curd, put the butter into a heatproof bowl, add the sugar and whisk by hand until combined. Stir in the egg yolks. Add the lemon zest and juice and whisk until smooth. Sit the bowl over a pan of just simmering water and whisk until the mixture has thickened. This will take about 8-10 minutes. Be careful the water does not boil as this will curdle the curd.
• Reserve 100g/3½oz (about 6 tablespoons) of the lemon curd and set aside. Spoon the remaining lemon curd into a sterilised jar. Seal and label it. It will keep in the fridge for 2 weeks.
• To fill the roulade, mix the reserved lemon curd with the whipped cream, swirling to give a marbled effect. Spread over the cooled meringue. Lightly score the meringue along one long side, slightly in from edge. Use this to help you fold and start to roll the base. Roll up the meringue tightly, using the paper to help you. Sit it on a plate with the join underneath.
• To serve, dust with icing sugar and decorate with Easter chicks.

MERINGUES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment. Place the egg whites and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (or use a hand mixer); beat on medium speed until frothy. Add the cream of tartar and increase the speed to medium high; beat in the sugar 1 tablespoon at a time, then add the extract or zest. Continue beating until the meringue is thick, glossy and holds stiff peaks, about 6 minutes.
• For colored cookies, swirl a few drops of food coloring into the meringue or use a small paintbrush to paint 3 long stripes of food coloring up the inside of a pastry bag. For chocolate chip versions, gently fold the mini chocolate chips into the mixture.
• Drop or pipe the meringue as desired, about 2 inches apart, on the prepared baking sheets. Sprinkle with sanding sugar, if desired. Bake 1 hour, then turn off the oven and let the meringues stand in the oven until dry, about 2 hours. Top with or dip in melted chocolate and sprinkle with nonpareils.

VANILLA MERINGUE COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F; line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
• In a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, add the egg whites, vanilla and cream of tartar. Beat until the mixture is frothy and soft peaks form. Gradually add the sugar 1 tablespoon at a time, waiting about 15 seconds between each addition. Once all of the sugar has been added, beat for an additional 5 minutes. The egg whites should be glossy and stiff but not dry.
• Spoon the mixture into a large pastry bag fitted with a large star tip. Pipe 2-inch cookies onto the lined baking sheets, leaving 1 inch between each cookie.
• Bake for 45 minutes, then turn off the oven and leave the cookies in the oven for an additional 30 minutes. Remove and cool completely before storing in an airtight container.

MERINGUE ROLLS

Steps:

• Dissolve yeast in warm milk. Sift flour with 3 tbs. sugar and salt, cut in butter. Add egg yolks to dry ingredients. Blend until smooth. Add yeast liquid to flour mixture and mix well. Place in large greased bowl and cover with wax paper. Let stand overnight in regrigerator.
• Next day, let bowl stand at room temperature for two (2) hours.
• Divide dough into three (3) equal sections. Roll each section into 12x6 inch rectangles.
• Beat egg whites until a foamy. Gradually and 1 cup sugar then add cinnamon. Beat until stiff. Gently fold in crushed nuts.
• Spread 1/3 of egg white mixture over each rectangle, do not spread on 1/2 inch of each 6 inches side. Starting on 6 inches side, roll gently as in jelly roll. Seal end with a little water. Cut each log into 1 inch pieces.
• Place each slice in greased muffin cups with the cut side up. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until lightly browned.
• Store in air tight container.

WHITE FOREST MERINGUE ROULADE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Butter, then line a 23 x 32cm baking tray. Using an electric hand whisk, beat the egg whites, lemon juice and a pinch of salt until stiff.
• Add 1 tbsp of the caster sugar, then whisk until the mixture makes stiff peaks. Repeat with the rest of the sugar, spoon by spoon, until the mix is thick and shiny. Spread into the tin, then bake for 15 mins or until crisp to the touch and lightly golden in places. Leave to cool.
• Simmer the cherries, orange juice, sugar and cloves for 10 mins, or until the cherries are soft but still holding their shape. Mix the cornflour with 2-3 tsp cold water to make a paste, stir into the cherries and cook for a couple mins more until the juices thicken. Leave to cool.
• To assemble, sift icing sugar over a large piece of parchment, then carefully flip the meringue onto it. Remove the tin and parchment. With a short end facing you, score a line 2cm into the meringue.
• Whip the cream, icing sugar and vanilla until thick but not stiff, then spread over the meringue. Spoon over about half of the cherry sauce and scatter with the grated chocolate. Roll up the roulade, starting with the scored short end and using the paper underneath to help. Freeze the roulade for up to a month then defrost overnight. Freeze by setting on a parchment-lined tray then, once firm, wrap the parchment around it and cover with cling film. Freeze the remaining cherry sauce for up to a month.
• To serve, drizzle with the melted white chocolate. Top with a few of the whole cherries and serve the remaining sauce on the side.

ULTIMATE MERINGUE

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 110C/ 100C fan/gas ¼.
• Line 2 baking sheets with non-stick liner or parchment paper (meringue can stick on greaseproof paper and foil).
• Tip 4 large egg whites into a large clean mixing bowl (not plastic). Beat them on medium speed with an electric hand whisk until the mixture resembles a fluffy cloud and stands up in stiff peaks when the blades are lifted.
• Now turn the speed up and start to add 115g caster sugar, a dessertspoonful at a time. Continue beating for 3-4 seconds between each addition. It's important to add the sugar slowly at this stage as it helps prevent the meringue from weeping later. However, don't over-beat. When ready, the mixture should be thick and glossy.
• Sift one third of the 115g icing sugar over the mixture, then gently fold it in with a big metal spoon or rubber spatula. Continue to sift and fold in the remaining icing sugar a third at a time. Again, don't over-mix. The mixture should now look smooth and billowy.
• Scoop up a heaped dessertspoonful of the mixture. Using another dessertspoon, ease it on to the baking sheet to make an oval shape. Or just drop them in rough rounds, if you prefer.
• Bake for 1 ½-1 ¾ hours in a fan oven, 1 ¼ hours in a conventional or gas oven, until the meringues sound crisp when tapped underneath and are a pale coffee colour.
• Leave to cool on the trays or a cooling rack. (The meringues will now keep in an airtight tin for up to 2 weeks, or frozen for a month.) Serve two meringues sandwiched together with a generous dollop of softly whipped double cream.