The finale of French week on was decided by the French dessert, . Meringue, ice-cream, sorbet and coulis, basically a French pavlova and it's a star! Get this .
Staying on the meringue train we want more whisked goodness at our tips, so we go in search of ultimate meringues.
Pistachio, vanilla and raspberry vacherin Source: The Chefs' Line
• Make sure your egg whites are at room temperature!
• No greasy utensils whatsoever. Wash your bowl and whisk if needed and dry completely; meringues can’t handle moisture at all.
• Don’t add salt (contrary to common belief). It actually makes it harder for the whites to rise.
• Be patient and gradually spoon the sugar into the egg whites as you beat them; don’t dump the whole lot in or you’ll deflate it.
• When baking, keep a close eye on the meringue, as each oven is different.
• Cooked meringues will last around three days if stored in an airtight container.
• Cornflour helps get rid of moisture; apple cider vinegar makes meringues chewy.
Showtime
1. Classical
is a wonderful combination of short, buttery pastry, a tart custard filling and a sweet, fluffy meringue topping. This recipe never disappoints!
Source: Alan Benson
2. Rum-ba
Bananas and brown sugar make a fine pair. roasts bananas for some smoky depth, and the muscovado and rum sauce provides delicious, dark caramel notes. This is a must-make.
Banana ice-cream with muscovado meringues and rum sauce Source: Feast Magazine
3. The hazel-nutcracker
Every Dutch baker has a version of this (surely!) and this recipe features a delicate hazelnut meringue under a sweet but intense coffee-cream filling.
Source: Alan Benson
4. Partner up
make a scrumptious yet simple dessert. meringue partners beautifully with chocolate, strawberries, vincotto and double cream. You’ll only need 4 meringues for this recipe but the remainder will keep perfectly well in an airtight container for up to 3 days (if they even last that long).
Source: Benito Martin
5. The ballet
Inspired by the flouncy, white tutu of Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova, this meringue-based dessert first appeared following her tour through Australia and New Zealand. No meringue round-up could not include !
Source: Feast magazine / John Laurie
6. Breakdancing
- liquorice and chocolate. To serve, dollop the chocolate cream along the centre of a large oval platter. Break up the liquorice meringues and scatter them over the top, along with the raspberries, redcurrants and finish with chocolate shavings.
Source: BBC Books / James Murphy
7. Poppy-ing
A wintery take on the classic British Eton mess, this is layered with poppy seed meringue, fruity mascarpone and caramel-coated orange segments.
8. Ballroom
These snowballs are a textural delight. Pillows of meringue glide through a smooth vanilla custard dusted with hazelnut praline crunch.
9. Krumb-ping
The uber-popular herbaceous perennial, a.k.a rhubarb, is bringing its magic to . You can make a few things in advance and just assemble everything the day of. Don't forget to sprinkle those pistachio nuts for added crunch!
Source: Gabriel Cabrera
10. Two to tango
Love and passion. A good kiss should be soft on the lips, tingle the tongue and leave you wanting another. Be prepared to fall in love with these . They've stolen our hearts.
Source: China Squirrel
11. The quickstep
These are baked and ready to eat in less than 60 minutes! The easy meringue frosting makes these a statement cupcake.
Want more? Check out our .
Coconut and passionfruit cupcakes with meringue frosting Source: Petrina Tinslay
Have we got your attention and your tastebuds? It’s French week on airing 6pm weeknights on SBS. Check out the for episode guides, cuisine lowdowns, recipes and more.
