Meringue Girls: Incredible Sweets Everybody Can Make 9781452133539, 9781452140933, 1452133530

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First published in the United States of America in 2014 by Chronicle Books LLC. First published in the United Kingdom in 2013 by Square Peg. Copyright © 2013 by Alex Hoffler and Stacey O’Gorman. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the publisher. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data available. ISBN 978-1-4521-3353-9 (hc) ISBN 978-1-4521-4093-3 (epub, mobi) Designed by Well Made Studio. Photographs by David Loftus. Styling by Jo Harris. Illustrated titles and paint washes by Kenn Goodall. Ferrero Rocher is a registered trademark of Ferrero SpA. Cadbury’s Crunchie is a registered trademark of Cadbury Limited.

Chronicle Books LLC 680 Second Street San Francisco, California 94107 www.chroniclebooks.com

Meringue

girls

CHRONICLE BOOKS SAN FRANCISCO

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Meringue

girls

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This Book is dedicated to

Everyone who Dreams

about leaving their 9 to 5.

JUST GO FOR IT.

INTRODUCTION ABOUT THE MERINGUE GIRLS TIPS AND TECHNIQUES MERINGUE GIRLS MIXTURE FLAVORING STRIPING AND PIPING KISSES KISS RECIPES SUMMERY DESSERTS WINTERY PUDDINGS GIFT IDEAS USING YOUR YOLKS OTHER MERINGUE METHODS INDEX

11 19 22 26 30 34

37 59 93 127 137 147

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introduction

Introduction Cupcakes, cake pops, and macarons have had their day. Now is the time for meringue.

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W&SS& Meringue Girls are making meringues cool again! We handcraft the best meringues you have ever tasted: mallowy in the middle, with a melt-in-the-mouth texture.

We’ll share our fresh, modern, and colorful take on classic meringue recipes, giving them a Meringue Girls twist with exciting flavor flavor combinations.

In this book, we aim to demystify meringues, which are notoriously hard to make. We will show you the easy way to ensure foolproof meringues every time.

Our book includes heaps of gift ideas, fun ways to get the kids involved, easy and impressive summer dessert ideas, and indulgent winter dinner party finales. finales.

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OUR MERINGUES ARE NATURALLY GULTEN FREE. We are big on flavor. The possibilities are endless-

just use your Willy Wonka creative flair.

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••liiiliai&iifliiKi

IwAUiiyMlBlgMiiMiial Such as free-range eggs, organic sugar, and Artisanal dark chocolate and cocoa.

IBOITIDE

MERINGUE GIRLS Alex Hoffler

Stacey O’ Gorman

Alex is London born and bred. Following university and two years working at a major London marketing agency, she traveled for a year, taking cooking courses in India, Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam.

Growing up in Auckland, New Zealand, Stacey had a passion for food from a young age. She trained at Auckland University of Technology, achieving a diploma in culinary arts. To widen her experience, Stacey spent a year abroad to explore the culinary world, honing her skills in kitchens along the way. In one such kitchen, she met Alex, with whom she shared an epicurean passion, and a partnership was born.

She then completed a year’s course at Leiths School of Food and Wine, where she received a first-class diploma. She currently does food styling for various publications.

The Girls Alex and Stacey formed the Meringue Girls after working together in a restaurant in Hackney. They bonded over a love of sweet things, especially meringues. From big launches and pop-ups to weddings and gift boxes, they have worked with amazing clients, including Whistles, Jimmy Choo, L’Oréal, H&M, Vogue, Elle, and Marie Claire.

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TIPS TECHNIQUES Meringues are all about volume! Here are some points to remember to ensure maximum voluminosity.

The recipes in this book use U.S.-size large eggs. (At Meringue Girls, we use free-range liquid egg whites— which work really well—so that we don’t have hundreds of yolks swimming in our fridge like once upon a time.) Make sure your egg whites are free of yolk and shell— crack and separate them carefully and check the whites before you start to whisk. The best way to get rid of a speck of yolk is to use a bit of shell to fish it out. For best results, we recommend weighing eggs and solids. A measuring cup is fine for liquid ingredients such as cream, water, and juice. A digital kitchen scale is an essential tool for every serious meringue maker. Cream of tartar stabilizes your whites and makes a stiffer but less glossy mixture; if your whites are not super fresh, add about ⅛ tsp per white before whisking. We use superfine sugar for most meringue methods as the fine grain dissolves very quickly. We heat the sugar in the oven so that it dissolves even more quickly, resulting in a smooth and glossy mixture. If the sugar hasn’t been allowed to dissolve and the mixture is grainy when it goes into the oven, the meringues will often leak sugar syrup during baking. A stand mixer is your best friend (we use a KitchenAid mixer), but it is also possible to make meringues with an electric handheld whisk. Hand whisking is fine for making small batches (3 egg whites max for us), but for larger amounts, you’ll need big biceps and a lot of willpower. 22

Use clean equipment. Greasy bowls and utensils will deflate the lovely volume you have created. We often wipe out our mixing bowl with lemon juice to make double sure it’s spotless. Grease tends to cling to plastic bowls and spatulas, so use metal or glass ones. The biggest mistake with meringue making is adding the sugar before the whites are totally stiff. If you add the sugar too early, your meringues will never acquire the stiff consistency you want. Volume is made by stretching the elasticity of the egg whites to their full capacity. The whites are stiff enough when you can hold the bowl upside down without them dropping out. Vinegar lends a chewiness to meringues. Add ½ tsp to your stiff whites for a really mallowy middle. Baked meringues can be covered in plastic wrap or placed in an airtight container and stored in a cool, dry place for up to 2 weeks. Do not refrigerate.

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MERINGUE 6IRLS MIXTURE Our meringue to sugar ratio is very easy to remember: it is one part egg whites to two parts sugar. A large egg white weighs 30 g, so use 60 g of superfine sugar per egg white. But always weigh your whites, as eggs vary in size.

1

/ 2 BATCH

150 g superfine sugar (³⁄₄ cup) 75 g egg whites (from about 2¹/2 eggs)

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper, pour in the sugar, and put the baking sheet in the oven for about 5 minutes, until the edges of the sugar are just beginning to melt. Heating the sugar will help it dissolve in the egg whites more quickly and help create a glossy, stable mixture. Meanwhile, make sure the bowl and whisk attachment of your stand mixer are free from grease. Pour the egg whites into the bowl. Whisk on low speed at first, allowing small bubbles to form, then increase the speed to high and continue whisking until the egg whites form stiff peaks and the bowl can be tipped upside down without the whites falling out. Stop whisking just before the whites take on a cotton-woolly appearance; if they do, they have been overwhisked, and the egg protein has lost some of its elasticity.

1 BATCH

By now, the sugar should be ready to take out of the oven.

(1¹/2 cups)

With the whites stiff and while whisking again at high speed, add one big tablespoonful of hot sugar after another to the bowl ensuring that the whites come back up to stiff peaks after each addition. Don’t worry about small clumps of sugar, but avoid adding large chunks of caramelized sugar from the edges of the baking sheet.

300 g superfine sugar 150 g egg whites (from about 5 eggs)

DOUBLE BATCH

600 g superfine sugar (3 cups) 300 g egg whites (from about 10 eggs)

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Once you have added the sugar, continue to whisk on high speed for 5 to 7 minutes. Rub a bit of the mixture between your fingers, and if you can still feel gritty sugar, keep whisking at high speed until the sugar has dissolved, the mixture is smooth, and the bowl is a bit cooler to the touch. The meringue will continue to thicken up during this stage. You know it is ready to use when it forms a nice smooth, shiny peak on the tip of your upturned finger. To find out how to flavor, stripe, pipe, and bake your meringue kisses, turn to pages 30 to 35.

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FLAVORING Traditionally, meringues are simply flavored with chocolate, vanilla, or nuts. But you don’t have to stick with just those. We’ve come up with some winning flavors to try, but feel free to experiment and create your own—Willy Wonka style!

(if necessary), and start piping. Once you have piped out all of your chocolate kisses, dust the tops with the remaining 2 tbsp cocoa.

When it comes to using flavored kisses in desserts, you can pick and choose to suit your taste. Sometimes we’ve suggested the flavor if there is a clear winner.

Use 3 tbsp finely ground hazelnuts. Fold 1 tbsp into your meringue mixture and paint the inside of your piping bag with stripes of natural amber food coloring, then spoon the mixture into your piping bag, cut the tip (if necessary), and start piping. Once you have piped out all of your hazelnut kisses, sprinkle with the remaining 2 tbsp ground hazelnuts.

hazelnut:

Meringue mixture is temperamental, so you need to work quickly. Be careful not to add too much flavoring, especially oily nuts or liquid, as it will deflate the mixture. For all the flavors that follow, use one batch of Meringue Girls Mixture (page 26).

lavender:

Fold ½ tsp natural lavender extract into your meringue mixture. Paint the inside of your piping bag with stripes of natural purple and blue food colorings, then spoon the mixture into your piping bag, cut the tip (if necessary), and start piping.

chocolate:

Use 3 tbsp good-quality cocoa powder, sifted. Fold 1 tbsp into your meringue mixture until just combined. Spoon the mixture into your piping bag, cut the tip

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coconut:

Use ½ cup/50g unsweetened dried coconut. Fold ¼ cup/25 g into your meringue mixture until just combined. Spoon the mixture into your piping bag, cut the tip (if necessary) and start piping. Once you have piped out all of your coconut kisses, sprinkle the peaks with the remaining ¼ cup/ 25 g coconut.

passion fruit:

Use 3 tsp freeze-dried passion fruit powder. Fold into your meringue mixture, then paint the inside of your piping bag with stripes of natural yellow and purple food coloring. Spoon the mixture into your piping bag, cut the tip (if necessary), and start piping.

cinnamon:

Use 1 tbsp ground cinnamon. Fold ½ tbsp into your meringue mixture until just combined. Spoon the mixture into your piping bag, cut the tip (if necessary), and start

piping. Once you have piped out all of your cinnamon kisses, dust the tops with the remaining ½ tbsp cinnamon using a sieve.

hot cross bun:

Fold 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice, 1 tsp ground cinnamon, and 1 tbsp finely chopped candied orange or lemon peel into your meringue mixture until just combined. Paint the inside of your piping bag with stripes of natural brown food coloring, then spoon the mixture into your piping bag, cut the tip (if necessary), and start piping.

pistachio and rose water:

Use 8 tbsp/50 g finely ground pistachios. Fold 2½ tbsp into your meringue mixture along with 1 tsp rose water. Paint the inside of your piping bag with stripes of natural red food coloring, then spoon the mixture into your piping bag, cut the tip (if necessary), and start piping. Once you have piped out all of your kisses, sprinkle with the remaining 5½ tbsp ground pistachios.

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green tea:

MANUKA HONEY:

Fold 1 tbsp matcha green tea powder into your meringue mixture. Paint the inside of your piping bag with stripes of natural green food coloring, then spoon the mixture into your piping bag, cut the tip (if necessary), and start piping.

Fold 3 tbsp dried manuka honey powder into your meringue mixture until just combined. Paint the inside of your piping bag with stripes of natural amber food coloring, then spoon the mixture into your piping bag, cut the tip (if necessary), and start piping.

STRAWBERRY AND BLACK PEPPER:

RASPBERRY:

Use 3 tbsp freeze-dried strawberries ground into a fine powder and ½ tsp ground black pepper. Fold into your meringue mixture and paint the inside of your piping bag with stripes of natural red food coloring, then spoon the mixture into your piping bag, cut the tip (if necessary), and start piping. Once you have piped out all of your kisses, crack a tiny bit of black pepper over each meringue.

Use 3 tbsp freeze-dried raspberries ground into a fine powder. Fold this into your meringue mixture and paint the inside of your piping bag with stripes of natural pink food coloring. Spoon the mixture into your piping bag, cut the tip (if necessary), and start piping.

VANILLA BEAN:

Split lengthwise and scrape out the seeds from 1 vanilla bean and fold into your meringue mixture until just combined, making sure the seeds are evenly dispersed. Spoon the mixture into your piping bag, cut the tip (if necessary), and start piping.

GINGER:

Fold 2 tbsp ground ginger into your meringue mixture. Paint the inside of your piping bag with stripes of natural orange food coloring, then spoon the mixture into your piping bag, cut the tip (if necessary), and start piping. Top with thin strips of fresh or crystallized ginger, if you fancy.

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CHAI: Use 1 tbsp chai powder and 1 tsp cardamom seeds (from about 2 pods), finely crushed. Fold the chai powder and ½ tsp of the cardamom seeds into your meringue mixture until just combined. Paint the inside of your piping bag with stripes of natural amber food coloring, then spoon the mixture into your piping bag, cut the tip (if necessary), and start piping. Once you have piped out all of your chai kisses, sprinkle with the remaining ½ tsp crushed cardamom seeds.

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STRIPING AND PIPING KISSES Striping Meringue kisses are a fun way to shape and color meringues. You can use them in a variety of different desserts, including cake tiers and petits fours. All our meringue kisses are hand-piped and bitesize, and each has its own unique organic shape and color.

To make striped kisses, whip up a batch of Meringue Girls Mixture (page 26) and turn a large disposable piping bag or a reusable one with a ⅞-inch diameter opening inside out. Invert the bag over a jug or bottle so that it holds itself up. Using natural food coloring and a clean paintbrush, paint wide stripes from the tip of your piping bag to halfway down (about five stripes). Roll the bag so the painted side is the inside, folding the edges over to make a sturdy vessel. Carefully spoon your meringue mixture into the piping bag, rolling the sides up. You need to pack the meringue mixture in tightly, ensuring there are no air bubbles. Pinch the top of the bag closed, gently pushing the mixture in. If using a disposable piping bag, with sharp scissors, cut the tip of the bag so that the opening measures ⅞ inch in diameter. To get the meringue mixture flowing, twist the top of the piping bag to push the meringue to the bottom. Pipe small dollops onto the four corners of your baking sheets (if you are using a full batch of Meringue Girls Mixture, you will need a couple of baking sheets). Line the baking sheets with parchment paper; the meringue dollops will act as glue and stick the paper to the sheets. You are ready to start piping!

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Piping Hold the piping bag vertically with both hands, securing the twisted top with your dominant hand and placing your other hand halfway down the bag. Use the top hand to apply pressure and the lower hand to control the flow of the meringue. Squeeze the bag to form a kiss with a 2-inch base, and then lift up the bag while releasing some pressure so that the meringue forms a big peak at the top. Space the kisses about ¾ inch apart. Piping perfect kisses takes practice, so don’t worry if you don’t get it right the first time. One batch of Meringue Girls Mixture will make about 35 kisses. To bake your kisses, position racks in the upper and lower third of the oven and preheat your oven to 200°F. Slide the baking sheets into the oven and bake for 30 to 40 minutes until the kisses are easily lifted off the parchment paper, with their bases intact. Let cool completely on the baking sheets. Stored in an airtight container in a cool, dry place, the kisses will keep for up to 2 weeks.

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KISS

Recipes

FILLIN6S KISSES Sandwich your meringue kisses around a variety of tasty fillings and pop them on the table after dinner for the sweetest petits fours. Mix and match kiss and filling flavors to create great taste sensations.

CHOCOLATE GANACHE:

Melt 1¾ oz 70% dark chocolate, chopped, in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water (don’t let the bowl touch the water) or in a microwave-safe bowl in the microwave on high for 1 to 2 minutes. Pour in 3½ tbsp heavy cream. Mix quickly with a spoon. The ganache should have a thick, silky consistency.

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PEANUT BUTTER:

Mix 3 tbsp 3tbsp crunchy peanut butter with 2 tsp confectioners’ sugar. The filling filling should have a thick consistency and just the right balance of salty and sweet.

LEMON AND POPPY SEED:

Mix 3½ tbsp of Lemon Curd with Lemongrass (page 140, or good-quality store-bought lemon curd) with ½  tsp poppy seeds and 2 tbsp cream cheese at room temperature. This should have a thick, silky consistency and be a great balance of sour and sweet.

COFFEE CREAM:

Whip 3½ tbsp heavy cream to stiff peaks. Add a small espresso shot (about 2 tbsp) to the cream along with 1 tbsp confectioners’ sugar and whisk until the cream has as a thick, thic ck, smooth, and silky ky consistency. co ons nsis iste is tency.

39

NUTELLA BUTTERCREAM:

Whisk 3½ tbsp unsalted butter (room temperature) with ¼ cup/75 g Nutella until smooth, then whisk in ¼ cup/ 25 g confectioners’ sugar and a pinch of sea and e salt salt until ill light l fluffy. flu uffy ff .

RAINBOW WEDDING TIER This meringue wedding tier is a great alternative if you are bored with the standard wedding cake and dessert cupcake tier, and want your wedding to stand out from the rest. You can take our recommendations for meringue kiss flavors or just choose colors and flavors to suit your mood. Remember that you will need more meringues for the larger bottom layers than the smaller top layers. Make your kisses in batches and store for up to 2 weeks in an airtight container until you are ready to assemble your masterpiece.

FILLS A LARGE 7-LAYERED TIER 12 separate batches Meringue

For the full rainbow effect, we recommend the following flavors and numbers of batches:

Chocolate (see page 30), 3 batches Raspberry (see page 32), 2 batches Pistachio and Rose Water (see page 31), 2 batches Ginger (see page 32), 2 batches passion fruit (see page 31), 1 batch

(yellow stripes only)

Green Tea (see page 32), 1 batch Coconut (see page 31), 1 batch Make your meringue kisses following the instructions on pages 34 to 35. On a 7-layer stand, build your wedding tier, starting from the bottom. On our tier in the photo, we have used approximately 90 chocolate kisses, 70 raspberry, 52 pistachio and rose water, 37 ginger, 25 passion fruit, 18 green tea, and 8 coconut.

Girls Mixture (page 26), flavored according to the suggestions at right or to suit your taste 41

KISS CANAPÉS WITH POMEGRANATE PROSECCO Sometimes the simple things in life are best. Here we’ve paired up meringue kisses with our favorite bubbly. Heaven. This is perfect for a celebratory toast or for sharing with friends on a summer day.

For the canapés, make your meringue kisses following the instructions on pages 34 to 35.

SERVES 8

To make the pomegranate prosecco: Pour 2 tbsp of the pomegranate juice into each of eight champagne flutes and top off with prosecco. Drop a few pomegranate seeds into each flute and serve with the canapés. Cheers!

1 batch Meringue Girls Mixture

In a medium bowl, whip the cream and sugar to stiff peaks, taking care not to overwhisk. Assemble your canapés by placing eight of the prettiest meringue kisses on a beautiful serving platter. Dollop each kiss with 1 tsp of whipped cream and top with a single fresh raspberry.

(page 26), flavored with raspberry (see page 32), pistachio and rose water (see page 31), or strawberry and black pepper (see page 32) ¼ cup plus 2 tbsp heavy cream 1 tbsp confectioners’ sugar 8 fresh raspberries

for the pomegranate prosecco: 1 cup pomegranate juice One 750-ml bottle of prosecco, chilled A handful of pomegranate seeds

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MAYAN HOT CHOCOLATE WITH FLOATING KISSES The Mayan flavors give this spicy hot chocolate a serious kick of winter warmth. Add a shot of smoky mezcal or tequila to turn up the heat. The meringue kisses ooze and goo like marshmallows once they hit the hot chocolate.

Make your meringue kisses following the instructions on page 34 to 35. Dust four kisses with cocoa powder and set aside; reserve the rest for another use.

SERVES 4

Once the spiced milk is simmering, strain it through a sieve into another saucepan to get rid of the spices and the chile. Place the milk back over low heat and add the dark chocolate. Stir until the chocolate has melted, then remove from the heat. Taste the hot chocolate and add more re e ssugar ug gar if it needs it.

½ batch Meringue Girls Mixture (page 26) Cocoa powder, for dusting

for the hot chocolate: 1 fresh red chile 3 cups whole milk

To make the hot chocolate: Slice the red chile lengthwise down the middle, retaining the seeds and all. Pour the milk into a medium saucepan. Add the sliced chile, the cardamom pods, cloves, cinnamon sticks, and star anise. Then add the brown sugar and cocoa powder. Place over low heat and slowly bring to a gentle simmer.

Pour mugs splash ur your you y our hot hot chocolate ch hoc col olat ate e into in o mug ugss an and d ad add d a sp spla lash sh of mezcal tequila (if using) each. ezc zcal al o orr te tequ uil i a (i if us sin ing) g to to ea each ch.. Top Top with with your you y ourr beautibeau be auti tifull cocoa-dusted meringue kisses serve. co oco coa-dusted e mer rin ngu gue ki k s es a ss and nd sser errve e.

5 cardamom pods, crushed 5 cloves 2 cinnamon sticks 2 star anise ¼ cup/50 g packed dark brown sugar, plus more as needed 1 tbsp good-quality cocoa powder 5¼ oz 70% dark chocolate, chopped A splash of mezcal or tequila (optional ) 45

SURPRISE KISSES A great one for a kid’s party. Pipe your meringue over M&M’s chocolates or mini marshmallows for amazing surprise kisses! If you want to get even more creative, try piping meringue kisses over whole hazelnuts, dried sour cherries, or a combination of candies, nuts, and small dried fruits.

Position racks in the upper and lower third of the oven and preheat your oven to 200°F. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.

MAKES 35 KISSES

The kisses will keep for 2 weeks, placed in an airtight container and stored in a cool, dry place.

Place the M&M and/or mini marshmallow “surprises” on the baking sheets, spacing them about 2¾ inches apart. Pipe a meringue kiss directly on top of each little surprise following the instructions on page 35. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the bases of the meringues lift off of the parchment paper with ease. Let cool completely on the baking sheets.

1 batch Meringue Girls Mixture (page 26), spooned in into to a piping piping pipi ng bag with a ⅞-inch opening openin ope ni g 35 M&M’s candies, min minii marshma hmars h mallows, or a combination bina inatio tion

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CHOCOLATE BEET BARBLE CAKE

This is the perfect cake for a little—or big—kid’s party.

SERVES 12 1 batch Meringue Girls Mixture (page 26)

for the cake: 1⅔ cups vegetable oil, plus more for greasing 2¾ cups/350 g all-purpose flour

Divide the meringue mixture into six portions. Following the instructions on pages 34 to 35, form each portion into mini striped kisses in the color of your choice; use a piping bag with a ¾-inch opening to pipe kisses with 1-inch bases. (It’s fine to pipe more than one color onto a single baking sheet.) These mini kisses will bake more quickly than regular kisses; bake them for about 20 minutes, or until they can be lifted off the parchment paper with their bases intact. Let cool completely on the baking sheets. To make the cake: Turn up the oven temperature to 350°F. Grease an 8-inch springform pan and line the bottom with parchment paper. Grease an 8-inch ovenproof bowl (about 10 inches deep) and line it with parchment paper.

2¼ cups/450 g superfine sugar 1½ cups/150 g good-quality dark cocoa powder 4 tsp baking powder 1 lb cooked and peeled beets 6 eggs

for the icing: 1¼ cup plus 3 tbsp heavy cream 1¾ cups/400 g cream cheese ¼ cup/25 g confectioners' sugar 1 Barbie doll (clothes and legs

Sift the flour, superfine sugar, cocoa powder, and baking powder into a large bowl. Cut the beets into large chunks and add to a blender along with the eggs and oil. Purée until smooth. Pour the beet mixture into the dry ingredients and fold until combined. Pour one-half of the batter into the prepared springform pan and the remaining batter into the prepared bowl. Bake the cakes for 40 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into the centers comes out clean. Let cool for 15 minutes, then invert the cakes out of the pan and bowl and onto a wire rack. Peel off the parchment and let cool completely.

removed) Barbie accessories

50

To make the icing: In a large bowl, whip the cream to stiff peaks, then add the cream cheese and confectioners’ sugar. Continue to whisk until the mixture is smooth and stiff. Bling out your Barbie however you’d like—goth or glam, it’s up to you. Set the flat cake layer (the one baked in the springform pan) on a cake platter. Spread with about 1 cup of icing in an even layer. Set the bowl-shaped cake on top, taperedend up. Using a knife, trim the stacked cake to form a nice hoop-skirt shape. With a long, slender knife (such as a bread knife), cut a 2-inch-deep hole in the center of the cake and insert Barbie to just below her waist. Spread the remaining icing over the cake, taking care to work around Barbie. Carefully place meringue kisses on the cake, arranging one color at a time in a row around Barbie, starting at her waist and working down. Press the kisses lightly into the icing so that they stick and form a beautiful, colorful meringuekiss skirt.

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MERINGUE PROFITEEROLES Meringue kisses filled with whipped cream are by far the most delicious way to use up leftover meringue kisses. This works best when the kisses have dried out for a few days after baking as they will have a harder shell.

MAKES 35 Kisses 1 batch Meringue Girls Mixture (page 26), flavored to suit your taste and formed into 35 kisses (see pages 30 to 35), then dried

Use a small, sharp knife to make a small hole in the base of each meringue kiss—just big enough for a very small piping tip to fit in it. To make the coulis (if using): Pour the raspberries, honey, and water into a saucepan and bring to a boil. Turn down the heat and simmer gently for a further 5 minutes. Purée in a food processor until smooth and set aside to cool. To make the filling: In a large bowl, whip the cream and sugar just until the mixture holds its shape (it tends to stiffen further in the piping bag). If you want, fold in the coulis or lemon curd. Fit a piping bag with a small, round, plain pastry tip and spoon the cream into the bag. Pipe cream into each kiss through the hole, aiming to fill the center with as much cream as possible.

out for up to 2 weeks

Eat quickly.

for the coulis (optional): ¼ cup/30 g frozen raspberries ½ tsp honey 1 tsp water

For the filling: ¾ cup heavy cream 1 tsp confectioners’ sugar ¼ cup/30 g raspberry coulis or 1½ tbsp Lemon Curd with Lemongrass (page 140), to flavor the cream (optional) 53

FERRERO ROCHER MERINGUE TOWER A quirky play on the iconic Ferrero Rocher celebration tower—and a sign of good taste!

Serves 8

Make your meringue kisses following the instructions on pages 34 to 35. To make the whipped cream: In a large bowl, whip the cream and sugar just until stiff, taking care not to overwhisk. Set aside.

To make the ganache: Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water or heat it in a microwave-safe bowl in the microwave for 1 to 2 minutes 1 batch Meringue Girls Mixture (page 26), flavored with hazelnut on high, taking care not to let the chocolate burn. Once the chocolate has melted, fold in the cream just until com(see page 30) bined. The ganache should be thick and silky.

for the whipped cream: 1 cup heavy cream 1 tbsp confectioners’ sugar

for the ganache: 7 oz 70% dark chocolate, chopped ¾ cup plus 2 tbsp heavy cream Ferrero Rocher candies Toasted and skinned hazelnuts

Get out a flat serving platter, ideally one that’s gold in color. Form the tower base by arranging meringue kisses in a triangle, with five kisses on each side forming the perimeter; glue the bases of the kisses to the platter with ganache. Build up the tower by stacking kisses on top, creating a pyramid that tapers to a single kiss, and using ganache and whipped cream as your cement. Fill in the gaps with Ferrero Rocher candies and hazelnuts, cementing them in place. Finish with small pieces of edible gold leaf.

Edible gold leaf

55

summery Desserts

LOVE HEARTS WITH

RHUBARBAND GINGER A seriously cute and delicious dessert, this is ideal for Valentine’s Day or a special occasion.

Position racks in the upper and lower third of the oven and preheat your oven to 200°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Fill your piping bag with the meringue mixture and, using meringue blobs like glue, stick the parchment to the baking sheets.

Serves 6 to 8

Pipe the outline of a heart, about 3 inches long and 5 inches wide on the parchment, then fill in the center with meringue. Build up the sides by piping two more layers on top of the original outline. Pipe five to seven more hearts in the same way on the baking sheets, spacing them at least ¾ inch apart. For a smoother, more organic look, dampen a finger and run it lightly over the base and edges.

1 batch Meringue Girls Mixture (page 26)

For the topping: 2 or 3 rhubarb stalks 1 tbsp superfine sugar ¼ cup/35 g candied ginger 1 cup heavy cream 1½ tbsp confectioners’ sugar

Bake the hearts for 45 minutes, or until they can be lifted off the parchment with their bases intact. If the bases are still soft, return the hearts to the oven, turn off the oven, and leave to dry for 15 minutes. Let cool completely on the baking sheets. To make the topping: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Cut the rhubarb stalks in half lengthwise if they are very thick, then cut crosswise into 2-inch pieces. Put them in a baking dish, sprinkle with the superfine sugar, and bake for 6 to 8 minutes, or until the pieces are softened but still hold their shape. Let cool. Cut the candied ginger into slivers. In a medium bowl, whip the cream and confectioners’ sugar to soft peaks. Spread the whipped cream onto the hearts and top with the rhubarb and candied ginger. Serve right away. 61

snuwBEm-MEtimiE ICE LOLLIES A fabulous treat to pull out of the freezer on a hot summer’s day. These ice lollies will put a smile on everyone’s face.

MAKES 6 LOLLIES ½ batch Meringue Girls

Make the Meringue Kisses following the instructions on page 34 to 35. Crumble six kisses into bits; reserve the rest for another use. Bring the sugar and water to a boil in a medium heavybottomed saucepan over medium-high heat and boil for 5 minutes until syrupy. Leave to cool. In a food processor, purée the strawberries until smooth. Stir the purée and the orange juice into the cooled sugar syrup.

Mixture (page 26) ¼ cup/50 g superfine sugar ¼ cup water 2 cups/250 g strawberries, hulled and cut in half Juice of 1 orange

Fill each of six ice-pop molds about one-quarter full of strawberry purée, then drop in a few bits of meringue. Pour in more purée and add more meringue until the molds are filled. (If you have any strawberry purée left over, freeze it in an ice cube tray and use the frozen cubes to chill fruity drinks.) freeze the drin dr inks ks.) .) Insert Ins nser ertt a stick stic st ick k into into each eac ach h mold mold d a and nd ffre reez eze e th he ic ice e lollies until solid, hours. loll lo llie iess un unti till so soli l d, li d at at least leas le astt 4 ho hour urrs. s Unmold serve Unmo Un m ld a mo and nd d sser erve ve rright ight away. ig awa way. y.

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RASPBERRY RIPPLE" MERINGUE 6ELATO Here's a great way of using up leftover baked meringues that have lost their middle gooeyness, or those that didn't turn out as pretty as you had hoped. This no-fuss ice cream doesn't require churning, so you can make it even if you don't own an ice cream machine.

Makes about 1 quart 2 cups/350 g raspberries 3 eggs ½ cup/100 g superfine sugar

In a small bowl, mash about two-thirds of the raspberries with a fork until smooth. Set aside. In a medium heatproof bowl, whisk the eggs and sugar. Set the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water and beat with a handheld mixer until the mixture is thick and doubled in volume; this will take about 10 minutes. Remove the bowl from the saucepan and continue beating until the mixture has cooled to room temperature. In a large bowl, use the handheld mixer to whip the cream to soft peaks. Using a rubber spatula, fold the whipped cream into the egg mixture, then gently fold in the meringue bits. Pour about half of the gelato base into a 1-quart container, then spoon about half of the raspberry purée over the top. Pour in the remaining base, spoon the remaining raspberry purée over, and use a butter knife to swirl the purée into the base. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze for at least 5 hours, or ideally overnight.

1¼ cups heavy cream 1 batch Meringue Girls Mixture (page 26), formed into kisses (see pages 34 to 35) and broken into bits

Let the gelato stand at room temperature for a few minutes to soften slightly. Scoop into bowls or dishes and drizzle with melted chocolate, if you fancy a further flourish. Garnish with the remaining raspberries to serve.

Melted dark chocolate, for drizzling (optional)

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LENON NERINGUE CAKE This cake has a little secret: it’s filled with delicious lemon curd that oozes out when a slice is cut. It is an extremely tangy and moist cake. We use our Marshmallow Meringue (page 148) as a wonderfully gooey frosting.

SERVES 8

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan and line it with a strip of parchment paper cut to fit into the bottom and up the long sides of the pan, with some overhang. In your stand mixer fitted with the flat beater attachment, beat the butter and sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then add the vanilla. Using a rubber spatula, fold in the flour, ground almonds, and lemon zest and juice. The batter should be soft enough to drop from a spoon; if it is too stiff, fold in just enough milk to get the proper consistency. Scrape the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth it out with the spatula.

1 cup/225 g butter, plus more for greasing 1 cup plus 2 tbsp/225 g

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until golden brown on top and a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean.

superfine sugar 4 eggs 2 tsp vanilla extract 1¼ cups/150 g self-rising flour

Let the cake cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then invert it onto a wire cooling rack. Peel off the parchment, turn the cake right-side up, and let cool completely.

¾ cup/75 g ground almonds Grated zest and juice of 2 lemons A little milk, if needed 1 cup/400 g Lemon Curd

Use a melon baller or grapefruit spoon to scoop out a trough in the center. (The trimmings aren’t needed for finishing the cake.) Fill the trough with the lemon curd.

with Lemongrass (page 140) or good-quality store-bought lemon curd Marshmallow Meringue (page 148)

Spread the Marshmallow Meringue over the surface. Brown the meringue with a kitchen torch or preheat your broiler, then broil the cake very briefly, until the meringue is golden. Cut into slices and serve. (Leftovers will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.) 67

SUMMERY ETON MESS An exciting twist on a British summertime favorite. You can use plain kisses or mix and match flavors like blueberry and raspberry (see page 32) to create a delicious seasonal Eton mess. Well, actually, it’s not that messy . . . rather beautiful, we think.

Make your meringue kisses following the instructions on pages 34 to 35.

SERVES 6 to 8

If you are using strawberries, hull and quarter them. In a large bowl, whip the cream and sugar to soft peaks, taking care not to overwhip.

To make the raspberry coulis: Put the frozen raspberries in a small saucepan, drizzle in the honey, and set the pan over medium heat. Once the berries are simmering, turn down the heat to maintain a gentle bubbling and cook until lightly thickened, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly. Taste the mixture and stir in more honey if it needs it, but you want the coulis to be quite tart as the meringues are very sweet. Using an immersion blender, purée until smooth, and then let cool completely.

1 batch Meringue Girls Mixture (page 26)

For the Raspberry coulis: 1½ cups/250 g frozen raspberries 1 tbsp honey, plus more if needed

When you are ready to serve—and only then—start en st star art assemassem m bling the dessert. If you do this too early, you’ll with ou’l ou ’lll en end d up w wit ith h a soggy mess, not Eton mess. Divide the meringue meri me ring ngue ue kisses kis k isse sess among individual bowls. Dollop whipped cream around d c cre ream am a roun ro und d the meringues and top with the fresh berries. Spoon coulis es.. Sp es Spoo oon n co coul ulis i is over everything and freeze-dried raspberries nd crumble crum cr umbl um b e th bl the e fr free eeze ee ze-d ze -dri -d r ed rras ri aspb pber erri ries es ((if if using) over the centers. Serve right away. nter nt ers. er s. S Ser erve er ve rrig ight ht a awa way. wa y y.

4 cups/680 g fresh raspberries, blueberries, or strawberries 2 cups heavy cream 2 tbsp confectioners’ sugar 2 tbsp freeze-dried raspberries (optional)

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POMEGRANATE

MERINGUE SLAB Ruby red pomegranate seeds, crème fraîche, chopped pistachio, and a quick-and-easy mint sugar on top of baked meringue. This Middle Eastern–inspired sweet looks and tastes the business.

Preheat the oven to 200°F.

SERVES 8

Bake for 1 hour, or until the meringue is crisp on the outside and easily lifts off the parchment paper with its base intact. Let cool completely on the baking sheet.

Dab a blob of meringue on each corner of a baking sheet, then line the sheet with parchment paper, using the meringue blobs to glue it down. Scrape the meringue onto the corner of the prepared baking sheet and use the back of a large spoon to spread it into a rough 8½-by-11-inch rectangle. With the tip of a knife, swirl in the food coloring to create a marbled effect.

1 batch Meringue Girls Mixture (page 26) ½ tsp natural pink food coloring Leaves from 1 small bunch

In a food processor, blend the mint and sugar until the mixture is dark green and well combined, or crush them together using a mortar and pestle.

fresh mint ¼ cup/50 g superfine sugar 1 cup/600 g crème fraîche cup/100 1 cup/ c up/100 100 g fresh fre pomegranate pomegr pom egrana ana ate seeds seeds

When you’re ready to serve, dollop the crème fraîche onto the meringue, sprinkle on the pomegranate seeds and pisspoon mint ttachios, ta ach chio ios, io s,, tthen h n sp he poo oon n on n tthe h m he intt sugar. in s ga su ar. To To finish, finis fin ish, h, drizzle dri rizz zzle le molasses. pieces serve. with wi th the the pomegranate p pom omeg om egra eg rana nate na te m mol olas ol a se as es. Cut Cut into int nto o pi iec e es a and nd sser erve ve..

cup/100 ¾ cup/ c up/100 0 g chopped cho oppe pped d roasted roas oasted ted pistachios pis pistac tachio hioss molasses 2 tbsp tbsp pomegranate pomeg po megran ranate ate molas mo lasses las ses e

71 7

LEMON SORBET

MERIN6UE CRUNCH This lovely summer party treat is another tasty way of using up broken or dried-out meringues. The sweet, crushed meringue balances out the tangy lemon sorbet and gives a brilliant texture—a match made in heaven. If you don’t want to make your own sorbet, using storebought is fine.

SERVES 4 to 6 for the lemon sorbet:

To make the sorbet: Pour the sugar and water into a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan. Heat gently over medium heat, stirring occasionally until the sugar dissolves, then simmer for a couple of minutes. Transfer to a container, stir in the lemon juice and zest, and let cool. Cover and refrigerate until well chilled. Churn the chilled liquid in an ice cream machine, then freeze the sorbet until it is firm and scoopable. Alternatively, pour it into a shallow container, place in the freezer, and beat the mixture with a fork every 30 minutes until it has a smooth sorbet-like texture. Crush about 10 of the meringues into fine crumbs (reserve the rest for another use) and scatter onto a flat tray. Scoop balls of sorbet, rolling each one in meringue crumbs until completely covered, then set the scoop on a cone and serve right righ ri ghtt away. away aw ay.

1¾ cups plus 2 tbsp/500 g superfine sugar 2⅓ cups water ¾ cup fresh lemon juice (from 5 or 6 lemons) Grated zest of 1 small lemon ½ batch Meringue Girls Mixture (page 26), flavored to suit your taste and formed into 18 kisses (see pages 30 to 35), then dried out for up to 2 weeks 4 to 6 sugar cones

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PISTACHIO ROSE WATER PAVLOVA wild GREEK YOGURT, HONEY, FIGS This Middle Eastern– inspired Pavlova uses Greek yogurt instead of cream. Topped with figs, pistachios, honey, and fresh rose petals, it's a stunning dessert.

SERVES 6 to 8 1 batch Meringue Girls Mixture (page 26) ¾ cup/100 g pistachios, shelled 1 tbsp rose water 6 fresh figs 1¼ cups/300 g Greek yogurt

Preheat your oven to 400°F. Dab a blob of meringue on each corner of a baking sheet, then line the sheet with parchment paper, using the meringue like glue to stick the paper down. Finely grind half of the pistachios. Gently fold one-half of the ground pistachios along with the rose water into the meringue mixture. Be very careful not to knock out any of the volume. Working quickly, spoon the meringue mixture onto the center of the prepared baking sheet and shape into a 10-inch spiky circle with your spoon. Then use the back of the spoon to form a large well in the center of the meringue. Sprinkle with the rest of the ground pistachios and bake for about 2 hours, or until the meringue is crisp on the outside and easily lifts off the parchment. Let cool completely on the baking sheet.

¼ cup honey 8 to 10 fresh red or pink rose petals

Slice the figs into quarters and roughly chop the remaining pistachios. Now you are ready to plate up. Remove the cooled meringue from the parchment and set it in the center of a serving platter. Spoon the yogurt into the well of the meringue, allowing some to ooze down the sides. Place most of the figs on top of the yogurt and scatter a few around the platter. Drizzle everything with the honey. Finish the masterpiece by scattering the chopped pistachios and fresh rose petals over the top.

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SCAN WITH

SEE PAGE 4

for instructions

MERINGUE RAINBOW CAKE The mother of all rainbow cakes, this epic, bright layered meringue dessert takes a bit of work but is worth it.

Position three racks in the oven—in the bottom, middle, and upper parts—and preheat the oven to 200°F. Line three baking sheets with parchment paper and draw a 10-inch circle on each parchment sheet, using a plate or cake pan as a guide. Flip the parchment over so the outline is on the underside, but still visible, and glue down the corners of the parchment with dabs of meringue.

SERVES 12

Divide your first batch of meringue mixture evenly among three clean bowls. Gently fold in a few drops of pink food coloring into the meringue in one bowl, followed by a few drops of red food coloring to make a bright red mixture. Fold a few drops of orange coloring into the meringue in another bowl and a few drops of yellow coloring into the last one.

2 separate batches Meringue Girls Mixture (page 26) Pink, red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple gel food coloring 2 cups heavy cream

Using the traced circles as guides, spread each of the colored meringue mixtures into a flat 10-inch disk of even thickness on the prepared baking sheets. Bake for 1 hour, or until the disks are easily lifted off the parchment paper. Let cool completely on the baking sheets. Remove the first meringue disks from the baking sheets. Re-line the sheets with parchment paper, once again drawing circles and gluing down the parchment corners. Divide your second batch of meringue mixture evenly among three clean bowls and color one bowlful with a few drops of green coloring, one with blue, and one with purple. Form the colored meringues into disks, bake, and let

78

cool as you did the first batch. (The baked and cooled disks can be kept in an airtight container in a cool, dry spot for up to 1 week.) When you’re ready to serve, use a stand mixer to whip the cream just until it holds firm peaks. Set the purple disk on a cake stand and spread about ¾ cup whipped cream over the surface, all the way to the edge. Continue to build your cake, layering the blue, green, yellow, orange, and red meringue disks—in that order—and the whipped cream. Serve right away.

We suggest making the meringue mixture in two batches, one at a time, and forming only six meringue layers (instead of seven, as shown in the photos on pages 76 and 77), because home ovens can’t fit more than three baking sheets at a time. Use the first batch of meringue to make the red, orange, and yellow disks, and the second batch to make the green, blue, and purple ones.

NOTES:

This is one of the few times we advocate using non-natural food dyes (Wilton gels work really well), in order to achieve vibrant colors that really pop. The trick to a bright red disk is to fold some pink dye through the meringue in order to get a nice base color, then fold in some red dye to enrich the hue. If you like, you can flavor the meringue with vanilla. Split open two vanilla bean pods, scrape out the seeds, and fold a portion of the seeds into each bowlful of meringue after folding in the food coloring.

SCAN WITH

layer SEE PAGE 4

79

for instructions

GRILLED PEACHES WITH CRUSHED AMARETTI COOKIES AND MAPLE MERINGUE Our maple meringue has a lovely golden color and is absolutely delicious. Here, we use it dolloped on top of grilled peaches filled with crunchy amaretti cookies. For a super-summery dessert, try cooking thee peaches on an outdoor grill. grill.

Preheat your oven to 350°F.

SERVES 4

each peach with crushed amaretti Fill the Fill the e center cen c en nte t r of o e eac ach ac h pe p ach ac h ha half lf w lf itth cr ith c u hed us hed am he a amar ma arret etti ttii cookies maple meringue Brown co ook kie es and an nd dollop doll do llop ll o m op ap ple le m errin ngu ue on n ttop. op. B op Br ro ow wn th tthe he meringue orr with until me eri r ngue ng gue under und u n er the nd the broiler bro oil iler ler o wiith w h a kitchen kit itc ch he en n ttorch orc or ch hu ntil nt il golden. g go lden ld en..

4 peaches, halved and pitted d

Heat a large ovenproof grill pan over medium-high heat until hot. Place the peach halves cut-side down in the pan and cook without moving them until dark grill lines have formed, about 4 minutes. Turn the peach halves over, slide oven, cook until peaches are slid sl ide e th the e pa pan n into in nto t tthe he o ove ven, n, a and nd c coo o k un unti till th the pe peac ache hess ar a e not apart), about just ju s softened st ssof ofte te ene n d (b ((but butt n o falling ot ffal alli ling ng apa part rt), ), a bout bo ut 10 10 minutes. minu mi nute tes. s. IIff you’ll preheat you’ yo u’ll u’ ll be be browning brow br o ni ow ning ing g the the e meringue me errin ngu gue e under unde un derr the th he broiler, broi br oile ler, r, p pre rehe heat at the th e broiler. broi br oile le er. r.

8 to 12 amaretti cookies, crushed ushed us h hed Maple Meringue (page 153) Maple syrup for drizzling

Carefully Ca are refu fu ull lly y transfer t an tr a sf sfer er tthe he e peaches pea each ches ch e to to a se sserving erv rviin ng platter plla p atttte e err or or individual plates. Drizzle with maple syrup and serve in ndiivi vidu d al du a p la ate tes. s. D Dri rizz ri izz zzle l w le i h ma it m ap ple pl le ssy yrup rup an ru a nd sse errv ve right away. ri igh ghtt aw a ay.. ay

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LEMON MERINGUE TART This variation on the classic includes a touch of lemongrass. If you don't want to make your own curd, use store-bought curd and stir in a teaspoon of lemongrass paste.

SERVES 8 for the pastry: 1¾ cups plus 2 tbsp/225 g all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting ¼ cup/25 g confectioners’ sugar Pinch of salt 1¼ cups/140 g chilled unsalted butter, cut into cubes

To make the pastry: Sift the flour, sugar and salt into a large bowl. Using your fingertips, rub in the butter cubes until the mixture resembles bread crumbs. In a small bowl, mix the egg yolk with the ice water. Using a dinner knife, stir the yolky water through the flour and butter mixture until you have a dough. Knead quickly and gently until smooth, then shape the dough into a flat disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 400°F. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the dough to a 14-inch circle about ⅛ inch thick. Line a 10-inch removable-bottom tart pan or standard springform pan with the dough, easing it into the corners and up the sides of the pan. Trim away the excess and lightly prick the dough with a fork. Line the dough-lined tart pan with parchment paper, fill with rice or pie weights, and set the pan on a baking sheet.

1 egg yolk 3 tbsp ice water 1 egg eg gg g beaten bea b be ea e aten en e n with wiitth w h a little litt ittle l water, le wat ater, e er er, egg wash fo fo for or th the e the gg g g wa was w a h cups/600 1¾ c 1¾ cup ups/6 up ps/6 /6 60 00 0 g Lemon Lemo on Curd Curd

Bake for 12 minutes, then remove the rice or pie weights with the parchment paper. Brush the surface of the pastry with egg wash and bake for 8 to 10 minutes more, or until lightly golden. Remove from the oven and turn down the oven temperature to 350°F.

with Lemongrass wit w itth L emo mon mo ngr ng g ass asss (page as (page (p age 140) 140) Italian Meringue 150) Ittta Ita alia lliia ian M eringu er eri ngue gu ue ((page p ge pa pag e1 50)

Fill the pastry with the lemon curd and bake the tart for 15 minutes, until the curd is set. Let cool completely on the baking sheet on a wire rack.

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If you’ll be browning the meringue under the broiler, preheat the broiler. Spoon the Italian meringue onto the center of the tart and spread it to cover the filling, swirling the meringue into peaks. Brown the meringue under the broiler or with a kitchen torch until lightly golden. Remove the tart from the pan, set on a platter, and serve.

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ALMOND MERINGUE ROULADE This recipe uses just three core ingredients to make a deliciously light and airy almond cake that happens to be gluten free. We have rolled it into a roulade filled with fresh cream and raspberries.

SERVES 8 For the Cake: Butter for greasing 6 eggs, separated

To make the cake: Preheat the oven to 325°F. Lightly grease a 9-by-13-inch rimmed baking sheet with butter and line it with parchment paper. In a large bowl, beat together the yolks and superfine sugar until very pale and thick. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold in the ground almonds. In another large bowl and with clean beaters, whip the egg whites until stiff. Using the rubber spatula, fold the whites into the yolk mixture until just combined. Carefully pour the batter into the prepared baking sheet and bake for 25 minutes, until the cake begins to come away from the sides of the pan and a skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean.

1 cup/200 g superfine sugar 2 cups/200 g ground almonds

FOR THE FILLING: ½ cup heavy cream

Leave the cake to cool on the baking sheet for 15 minutes, then slide it off the sheet, still on the parchment, and let it cool completely on a wire rack. Don't remove the parchment, as it will help you roll the roulade.

⅓ cup/55 g fresh raspberries Confectioners’ sugar for dusting

To make the filling: In a medium bowl, whip the cream to soft peaks. In a small bowl, roughly mash the raspberries.

2 tbsp toasted sliced almonds 1 cup/170 g fresh raspberries

Spread the cake with the whipped cream and top evenly with the mashed berries. Roll up the cake starting from a long end, using the parchment to help you form a tight roulade; peel away the parchment as you roll. Set the roulade on a platter seam-side down, dust it with confectioners’ sugar, and sprinkle with the sliced almonds. Serve slices topped with fresh whole raspberries. 87

GOOSEBERRY STRAWBERRY MERINGUE COMPOTE JARS Tangy, fresh, and light, these compote jars are topped with golden meringue. These are a low-fat, delicious dessert to finish off a meal on a summer’s day.

SERVES 4 FOR THE COMPOTE:

To make the compote: Put the whole hulled strawberries and gooseberries in a saucepan and place over medium heat. Drizzle the honey over the top and cook gently for 7 to 10 minutes until the fruit is soft but still holding its shape. The compote should be chunky and a little bit tangy. Now you are ready to fill the jars. Fill four ½-pint jam jars (or small glass bowls) one-third of the way with your compote, then top with quartered strawberries until your jars are two-thirds full. Pipe or spoon in the meringue mixture to fill the jars to the brim. Blowtorch or flash under a hot grill until the tops are golden.

2¾ cups/400 g whole strawberries, hulled (frozen is fine) ¾ cup/100 g gooseberries,

These can be prepared a couple of hours in advance and kept in the fridge, but it is best to blowtorch or grill the tops at the very last minute.

stems removed 2 tbsp honey ¾ cup/100 g strawberries, hulled and quartered ½ batch Meringue Girls Mixture (page 26)

89

LEMON MERINGUE WAFFLES Tangy lemon curd and fluffy meringue sandwiched between hot waffles? Delicious! You can make your own waffles or heat up frozen ones in a toaster. Mini waffles made into a triple decker—as in the photo—are a lovely and fun breakfast akfast treat. treat.

SERVES 4 for the waffles: ffles: 2 cups/250 g all-purpose -p purp r ose flour fl flourr 2 tbsp superfine e sugar ga 1½ tsp baking powder

To make the waffles: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, superfine sugar, baking powder, and salt. In a separate bowl, beat together the eggs and milk, then add to the dry ingredients. Add the vegetable oil and mix everything together until all the large lumps have been broken up. Do not overmix or the waffles will cook up heavy. Preheat your waffle maker. Brush with pour B Br u h the us the grid grid d of of the the waffle w ffle maker wa mak m ak ker w wit ith h oi oil, l, p pou ourr in tthe he amount by manufacturer, am mou ount nt of of batter batt ba tter er recommended rec ecom omme mend nded ed b y th the e ma m nufa nu fa act ctur urer er, an and d until brown and crisp, usually bake ba ke eu unt n il tthe nt h waffle he waffl w affl ffle is golden gol g olde d n br de b row wn an a nd cr ris isp, p, u usu sual ally ly y 3 tto o Make waffle, and bakes, 4 minutes. minu mi nute t s. M te Mak a e a se ak ssecond eco co ond w affl ffle,, a nd while wh hiile l iitt ba bake kes, s, sspread prea pr ead d off the curd. the th e first first one one n with wit ith h one-fourth oneon e-fo four fo urth th o th th he lemon lle emo m n cu urd rd. Wh When e tthe he second ready, spread with meringue sandseco se cond nd waffle waffl w affle e is rrea eady ea dy y, sp pre read ad d iitt wi w ith th hm e in er i gu g e an and d sa sand nd-Dust sugar wich wi ch the the e two two together. tog oget etthe er. r D usst wi ust with th confectioners’ con nfe f ct ctio tiio one ners r ’ su rs suga g r an ga and d serve more waffle sandwiches, serv se rve e right righ ri ghtt away, gh aw way ay,, or o make mak m ake th ak tthree hre ree mo m re w affl a ffle sa sand an nd dwi wich c es, ch ess, brushing and them brus br ushi us h ng hi g the the e waffle waffl ffle grid grrid g id with wit ith oil oil as oi as needed, ne ee ede ded, d, a nd n d sserve errve erve ve tthe h m he all together. batter will keep al ll to toge ge eth herr. (Leftover (Le (L efftto ov ve er waffle wa w affl ffle eb atte at er wi w illl k ee e ep in in tthe h fridge he fri ridg dge e days.) forr up fo p tto o2d da ays ys.) s.))

1 tsp salt 2 eggs 2 cups whole milk k 2 tbsp vegetable e oil, oil, plus more for g greasing reasin rea sing g ½ cup/150 g Lemon mon Curd Curd with with h Lemongrass ((page 140) goodpage pag e1 40) or o go oododquality store-bought curd boug ought htt cur urd d Italian Meringue ue ((page page pag e 150) 150) Confectioners’ sug sugar dusting gar for fo dusti du sti st ttiiing ng g

91

Wintery

puddings

CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE

MERINGUE SQUARES A chewy chocolate chip cookie base, topped with baked brown-sugar meringue. So addictive.

MAKES 12 Squares for the cookie base: ¾ cup/170 g unsalted butter,

To make the cookie base: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter a 9-by-13-in baking sheet and line with parchment paper cut to fit into the bottom and up the long sides of the pan, with some overhang. Grease the parchment with butter. In a medium bowl, sift the flour, baking soda, and salt. In a large bowl, beat together the melted butter, brown sugar, and superfine sugar with a wooden spoon until well blended. Beat in the vanilla, egg, and egg yolk until light and creamy, then mix in the dry ingredients until just blended and a crumbly dough forms.

melted, plus more for greasing 2 cups/250 g all-purpose flour ½ tsp baking soda ½ tsp salt 1 cup/200 g dark brown sugar ½ cup/100 g superfine sugar

Gently press the dough into the bottom of the prepared baking sheet, making sure the surface is even. Sprinkle the chocolate chips over the cookie dough and press them down lightly. Bake for 15 minutes, until the dough is just cooked but still soft. Let cool on a wire rack.

1 tbsp vanilla extract 1 egg plus 1 egg yolk 2 cups/325 g chocolate chips

Turn up the oven temperature to 400°F. Using the brown sugar and egg whites, make the meringue, following the instructions on page 26.

2 cups plus 3 tbsp/240 g dark brown sugar 120 g egg whites (from about 4 eggs)

Using a rubber spatula, mound the meringue onto the center of the cookie base and spread it to the edges. Cut a sheet of parchment paper about the same size as the pan and lightly press it onto the meringue. Turn down the oven temperature to 350°F and bake the meringue-topped cookie for 10 minutes, then remove the parchment and bake for about 5 minutes longer, or until the meringue peaks are lightly golden. Let cool completely on a wire rack, then cut into 12 squares. 95

HONEYCOMB, CHOCOLATE, AND SALTED PEANUT MERINGUES Big, spiky, and chewy meringues rolled in honeycomb candy, cocoa, and salted peanuts. These sweet and slightly salty meringues are delicious eaten just as they are. To take them over the edge, drizzle with melted milk chocolate and serve with a big dollop of Greek yogurt.

MAKES 6 BIG ONES 1 Crunchie bar or a small block of honeycomb candy, crumbled

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Preheat the oven to 200°F. Carefully fold one-half of the crumbled Crunchie bar and 1 tbsp of the cocoa powder into the meringue mixture. Scatter the remaining crumbled Crunchie bar, the remaining 7 tbsp cocoa powder, and the chopped peanuts in a pie plate or shallow baking dish. Using two large metal spoons, scoop up about one-sixth of the meringue, roll the mound in the candy-cocoapeanut mixture until nicely coated, and set it on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining meringue and coating, spacing the mounds evenly apart. Bake for 2 hours, or until the meringues easily lift off the parchment paper with their bases intact. Let cool on the baking sheet or a wire rack.

½ cup/40 g good-quality cocoa powder 1 batch Meringue Girls Mixture (page 26) ½ cup/50 g roasted salted peanuts, roughly chopped

98

FROZEN BERRIES HOT CUSTARD WITH

MERINGUE KISSES

Such a simple but delicious combination using frozen berries, custard sauce, and meringue kisses. The hot custard thaws the berries and melts the meringues ever so slightly. Hot, cold, fresh, and crunchy—a delight for the palate.

Make your meringue kisses following the instructions on pages 34 to 35. Divide the frozen berries among eight individual serving bowls and top with a meringue kiss or two. Bring the bowls to the table, along with the warm custard in a pitcher, and allow each of your guests to pour custard over his or her bowlful. Eat right away.

SERVES 8 ½ batch Meringue Girls Mixture (page 26) 4 cups/680 g frozen mixed berries Vanilla Custard (page 143), warm

101

PRETZEL CHOCOLATE MIMfflMMMMn A no-bake, sweet-salty crust, topped with rich chocolate and chewy marshmallow meringue. Everyone asks us for this recipe.

SERVES 6 to 8 for the Crust: 7 tbsp/100 g butter, plus more for greasing

To make the crust: Brush an 8-inch removable-bottomed tart pan with a little butter. In a food processor, grind the pretzels and digestive biscuits to fine crumbs, or place in a plastic bag and bash with a rolling pin. Pour the crumbs into a medium bowl. In a small saucepan, heat the butter and golden syrup over medium heat, stirring, until the butter has melted. Drizzle onto the crumbs and mix until evenly moistened. Empty the mixture into your prepared tart pan and, using the back of a spoon, firmly press it into an even layer in the bottom of the pan. Refrigerate the crust until set, about 2 hours.

3½ oz/100 g salted pretzels 3½ oz/100 g plain digestive biscuits such as McVitie’s ¼ cup/55 g Lyle’s Golden Syrup

for the filling: 14 oz 70% dark chocolate, chopped

To make the filling: Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water, or put it into a microwave-safe bowl and heat it at high power for 1 to 2 minutes until melted. Add the cream and salt and stir until the mixture is thick and smooth. Pour the filling into the crust and refrigerate until set, about 2 hours, or up to 2 days.

2 cups heavy cream at room temperature A large pinch of Maldon sea salt Marshmallow Meringue Mar a shm hmall allo ow Mer Me ing gue

Spread the Marshmallow Meringue over the filling and refrigerate until set, about 30 minutes. Scatter the pretzels across the surface and remove the tart from the pan. Cut knife into in to sslices wi with h a kni n fe dipped in hot water and serve.

(page 148) (pa p ge e 148 8) handfuls A couple coup coup up ple le han h an ndf dfu dfu fuls ls of of salted salted pretzels pre retze re etz tze zels ze ls

105

PASSION FRUIT MERINGUE FILO TARTLETS Everyone goes crazy for these mini tarts. Filo pastry is sold frozen. Let it fully defrost before separating the paper-thin sheets.

MAKES 12 Tartlets 7 tbsp/100 g unsalted butter, melted, plus more for greasing 12 full-size filo pastry sheets, stacked

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 12-cup muffin pan with a little butter. Cut the filo stack into quarters to make 48 rectangles. Take one quarter stack and cover the rest with plastic wrap to prevent the pastry from drying out. Brush the top rectangle with melted butter, then fit it into a muffin cup. Build up four filo layers in the cup, brushing each rectangle with butter and rotating it slightly so that the corners don’t align in the cup. Line the remaining cups in the same way. Bake the pastry for 7 minutes, or until lightly golden. Remove the pan from the oven and spoon in the curd, dividing it evenly among the shells and filling each one about three-fourths full.

1 cup plus 2 tbsp/300 g Passion Fruit Curd (page 139) Italian Meringue (page 150) Pulp and seeds scooped from 2 fresh passion fruits

Return the pan to the oven and bake for another 5 minutes, or until the curd is set and the edges of the shells are golden brown. Let cool on a wire rack. Leave the oven on if you will be using it to brown the meringue. Pipe or dollop Italian meringue on top of each tartlet, completely covering the curd. Brown the meringue with a kitchen torch or in the oven until golden. Spoon the fresh passion fruit pulp and seeds over the tartlets, carefully remove them from the pan, and serve.

107

m^m-m SALTED CARAMEL, POACHED PEAR,ON CHOCOLATE DRIZZLE MERINGUE SLAB

SrT, ^ * A1-*: J>,T. -^.v^jfm

Oozy caramel, poached pears, dark chocolate, mascarpone, and walnuts— this is an autumnal dessert dream. It's a perfect finale to a casual dinner party where everyone can just dig in.

SERVES 8 FOR THE MERINGUE BASE: 1 batch Meringue Girls Mixture (page 26) 2 tbsp good-quality cocoa powder, sifted

FOR THE POACHED PEARS: 4½ cups water 5 tbsp/65 g granulated sugar 1 cinnamon stick

To make the meringue base: Preheat your oven to 200°F. Dab a blob of meringue on each corner of a baking sheet, then line with parchment paper, using the meringue blobs to glue it down. Gently fold the cocoa powder into the meringue mixture, taking care not to lose any volume. Scrape the meringue onto the center of the prepared baking sheet and use the back of a large spoon to spread it into a rough 8½-by11-inch rectangle. Bake for 1 hour, or until the meringue is crisp on the outside and easily lifts off the parchment with its base intact. Let cool completely on the baking sheet. Don’t worry if the meringue cracks—you’ll be smothering it with deliciousness, so cracks won’t matter. (The meringue will keep in an airtight container, stored in a cool, dry place, for up to 2 weeks.) To make the poached pears: In a medium, heavybottomed saucepan, bring the water to a boil over mediumhigh heat. Add the sugar and cinnamon stick and return to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar.

ripe pears 4 firm m but b ri ipe pea ears rss A large larg ge pinch pinch pinc h of of Maldon Mald aldon on sea salt sa alt cup caramel ½c up p car carame ame mell sauce sauc sauc a e cup/225 1c cup/ up/ p 225 25 g mascarpone mascar mas car arpon pone pon e cheese chee chee heese se 3½ oz z 70% 0% dark dark k chocolate, ch col cho colate ate,, ate melted melted 1 cup/100 cup//100 g walnut cup/ w nut wal ut halves, halve halve lves, s,,

While Whil Wh il the liquid is heating, peel the pears, cut them lengthwise wi se into quarters, and remove the cores; leave the stems on for fo visual effect, if you like. Carefully add the pears to liquid, turn down the heat to low, and poach the th e boiling b gently gent ge ntll for 15 minutes, or until the tip of a paring knife easnt into the center. Using a slotted spoon, remove the ily il y slides slii sl pears pear pe a s to a large plate. ar

toasted to toa ste ed 110

When you’re ready to serve, stir the salt into the caramel sauce. Set the meringue base on a serving platter or tray and dollop with the mascarpone. With your creative juices flowing, layer on the pears, pour on the caramel, drizzle with the chocolate, and sprinkle with the walnuts. Cut your masterpiece into pieces and serve.

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MERINGUE LAYER CAKE lg CHOCOLATE BLACKBERRIES This is a delicious and indulgent dinner party centerpiece.

SERVES 12 for the meringue layers: Double batch of Meringue Girls Mixture (page 26) 4 tsp cocoa, sifted

for the coulis: 2 cups/340 g blackberries (fresh or frozen)

Position racks in the upper and lower third of the oven and preheat your oven to 200°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and draw two 8-inch circles on each parchment sheet, using a plate or cake pan as a guide. Flip the parchment over so the outlines are on the underside, but still visible, and glue down the corners of the parchment with dabs of meringue. To make the meringue layers: Evenly divide the meringue mixture among the traced circles on the prepared baking sheets. Using an icing spatula and the circles as guides, spread the meringue into flat 8-inch disks of even thickness. Bake for 1 hour, or until the disks are easily lifted off the parchment paper. Let cool completely on the baking sheets, then dust each disk with 1 tsp of the cocoa powder.

1 tbsp honey

for the ganache: 7 oz 70% dark chocolate, chopped 1¼ cups heavy cream, room temperature

for the whipped cream: 2½ cups heavy cream 1 tbsp confectioners’ sugar 1 tbsp crème de cassis or Chambord liqueur (optional) Cocoa powder for dusting 1 tbsp cacao nibs, crushed 1 cup/170 g fresh blackberries

To make the coulis: In a medium saucepan, combine the blackberries, honey, and 1 tbsp water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then turn down the heat to maintain a gentle simmer and cook for 5 minutes, or until the berries have softened. Purée in a food processor until smooth. Set aside to cool. To make the ganache: Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water, or put it into a microwave-safe bowl and heat it at high power for 1 to 2 minutes until melted. Add the cream, and stir until the mixture is thick and smooth. To make the whipped cream: In a large bowl, whip the cream, confectioners’ sugar, and crème de cassis (if using) just until the mixture holds its shape. 112

Place a meringue disk on a cake stand or platter. Using an icing spatula, spread onethird of the ganache on the meringue, all the way to the edges. Spread with one-third of the whipped cream, drizzle with one-third of the coulis, and then use a dinner knife to swirl the coulis into the cream to create a marbled effect. Repeat the layering using two more meringue disks and topping each with one-half of the remaining ganache, whipped cream, and coulis. Place the last meringue disk on top, dust with cocoa powder, and sprinkle on the cacao nibs. Scatter fresh blackberries on top and around the cake and serve.

113

IIMIMJMJM A deliciously boozy concoction of Cointreausoaked clementines and brandy cream, mixed with chocolate meringue kisses and decorated with pomegranate seeds. This makes a fantastic holiday dessert.

SERVES 8 for the clementines: 2½ cups Cointreau 4 clementines, peeled and segmented 1 batch Meringue Girls Mixture (page 26), flavored with chocolate (see page 30)

To prepare the clementines: Pour the Cointreau into a bowl and add the clementine segments. Stir, making sure all the segments get coated with the alcohol, then cover and leave to soak in the fridge for at least 2 hours, or ideally overnight. Make your meringue kisses following the instructions on pages 34 to 35. To make the brandy cream: In a large bowl, whip the cream and confectioners’ sugar just until the mixture thickens. Be very careful not to overwhisk. Fold in the brandy with a spoon. When you are ready to serve—and only then—start assembling the dessert. If you do this too early, you’ll end up with a soggy mess. Spoon about ⅓ cup of brandy cream into each of eight individual serving bowls. Pile four meringue kisses into each bowl, then drizzle the remaining brandy cream over the meringues, dividing it evenly. Top with clementine segments and garnish with the pomegranate seeds and crumbled freeze-dried raspberries (if using). Serve right away.

for the brandy cream: 2½ cups heavy cream ¼ cup/25 g confectioners’ sugar A big splash of brandy ½ cup/50 g pomegranate, seeds ½ cup/30 g freeze-dried raspberries, crumbled (optional)

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SCAN WITH

layer SEE PAGE 4 for instructions

amiiJiuNwamiH Giant meringues nearly as big as your head! We hope that Ottolenghi, the godfather of meringues, would be proud of these displayed in his window.

Position racks in the upper and lower third of the oven and preheat your oven to 200°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

MAKES 6 BIG ONES

Using two large metal spoons, scoop up about one-sixth of the meringue mixture, roll the mound in the cocoa until nicely coated, and set it on one of the prepared baking sheets. Form two more cocoa-coated mounds in the same way, evenly spacing them apart on the baking sheet.

½ cup/50 g good-quality cocoa powder, sifted

Scatter the cocoa powder and cacao nibs (if using) in a pie plate or shallow baking dish. Scatter the chopped pistachios in a second pie plate or baking dish.

¼ cup plus 2 tbsp/50 g cacao nibs (optional) ¾ cup/100 g shelled pistachios, finely chopped

Now form three pistachio-coated mounds with the remaining meringue mixture and the chopped pistachios, placing the meringues on the second baking sheet.

1 batch of Meringue Girls Mixture (page 26)

Bake the meringues for 3 hours, or until they easily lift off the parchment paper with their bases intact. To serve, pile the meringues in a big, impressive stack.

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MAPLE MERINGUE DOUGHNUTS iHf

CARAMELIZED BANANAS

Gosh, these are good. Homemade doughnuts. Maple meringue. Caramelized bananas. Yum.

MAKES 6 for the doughnuts: Heaping 1 cup/160 g bread flour, plus more for dusting ¼ cup/50 g superfine sugar

To make the doughnuts: In the bowl of your stand mixer, whisk together the flour, 1 tbsp of the sugar, the yeast, and the salt. In a small bowl, combine the warm milk and water, then add the butter and stir until the butter melts. Pour the liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients and add the beaten egg. Knead with the dough hook on low speed until a smooth, stretchy dough forms, about 10 minutes. Lightly grease a large bowl with butter and place the dough in the bowl. Cover with a damp kitchen towel and let rise in a warm spot until the dough doubles in bulk, about 1 hour.

2 tsp instant yeast ½ tsp salt ¼ cup whole milk, warmed 3 tbsp warm water 1½ tbsp unsalted butter, melted, plus more for greasing

Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and divide it into six evenly sized portions. Shape each piece into a ball and set on a lightly floured baking sheet, spacing them well apart. Cover with the damp kitchen towel and let rise again until doubled in bulk, about 45 minutes.

1 egg, beaten 2 tsp ground cinnamon 2 qt vegetable oil Maple Meringue (page 153) 2 bananas, peeled and sliced lengthwise into thirds A splash of maple syrup

About 30 minutes into the second rise, in a small bowl, stir together the cinnamon and remaining 3 tbsp sugar. Attach a deep-fry thermometer to a large, deep, heavy-bottomed saucepan and pour in the oil. Heat over high heat until the oil registers 325°F on the thermometer. When the dough balls are ready, working in two batches, fry the doughnuts for about 3 minutes per side, until golden brown. Transfer them to a paper towel–lined plate and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar until nicely coated all around. Let cool slightly. Fit a piping bag with a ½-inch plain tip and put the meringue into the bag. Using the tip of a sharp knife, poke 118

a small hole in the side of each doughnut, insert the piping tip into the hole, and fill the center with as much meringue as it will hold. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the banana slices and maple syrup and cook until the bananas are deep golden brown, about 6 minutes. Lay one banana slice over each doughnut and serve right away.

SPICED APPLESBHiSALTED CRUMBLE, HES^5S^9

CINNAMON KISSES, B§1 vanilla custard This pudding is our take on the classic apple crumble, with cinnamon meringue kisses and a salty crumble topping.

SERVES 4 1 batch Meringue Girls Mixture (page 26), flavored with

Make your meringue kisses following the instructions on pages 34 to 35. Preheat the oven to 350°F. To make the crumble: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, superfine sugar, and salt. Add the butter and mix with your fingertips until the mixture resembles bread crumbs. Stir in the almonds. Scatter the crumble mixture on a baking sheet and bake for about 15 minutes, tossing occasionally, until golden brown. Let cool on the baking sheet.

cinnamon (see page 31)

FOR THE CRUMBLE: ¼ cup plus 2 tbsp/50 g all-purpose flour ¼ cup/50 g superfine sugar 1 tsp flaky sea salt

To prepare the apples: In a large saucepan, combine the apple quarters, water, brown sugar, and cinnamon sticks. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, then turn down the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cover and cook until the apples are tender but not mushy, about 20 minutes.

3½ tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature ¼ cup/50 g sliced almonds

FOR THE APPLES: 4 Granny Smith apples,

To serve: Divide the warm apples among four individual bowls. Top each with 3 or 4 cinnamon kisses (reserve the rest for another use), then pour over some warm custard. Sprinkle with a p portion of the crumble and serve p right away. way ay.

quartered and cored 1 tbsp water 1 tbsp dark brown sugar 2 cinnamon sticks

FOR SERVING: Vanilla Custard (page 143), warm 123 233

gift ideas

CHEWY PISTACHIO

COFFEE DUNKERS

The ultimate coffee dunkers, these cookies have a crisp outside and chewy middle, with a delicate green color on the inside and a deep pistachio taste. Cut any shape you like— we use our M and G cookie cutters—and dunk them into your favorite mug.

MAKES 12 COOKIES Butter for greasing 1 tsp vanilla extract 1 tsp white wine vinegar

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease a 9-by-13-inch rimmed baking sheet with butter, line it with parchment paper, and grease the parchment. Carefully fold the vanilla extract and vinegar (vinegar is what gives baked meringue a lovely chewy middle) into the meringue mixture, and then fold in the ground pistachios. Spoon the mixture into the prepared baking sheet, carefully spread it to the edges, and smooth the surface; it should be about ¾ inch thick. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until golden; the middle will still be a bit gooey, but it will harden as it cools. Let cool completely in the baking sheet. Cut the meringue into 12 squares or use cookie cutters to stamp out shapes. Carefully remove the cookies from the parchment paper. These make a lovely gift and keep well for up to 1 week in an airtight container.

1 batch Meringue Girls Mixture (page 26) 3 cups/350 g shelled pistachios, finely ground

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MERINGUE EASTER EGGS These egg-shaped treats are made by sandwiching two baked meringues around a chocolate filling; a dusting of cocoa adds a whimsical speckled appearance. This is a fun activity to do with children, and the eggs are perfect for giving as Easter gifts. To present them, you can put them into an egg carton, tie the package with ribbon, and tuck a feather into the bow. Or use straw to create little nests for the eggs to sit in and set the nested eggs in a box.

MAKES ABOUT 12 EGGS A few drops of natural food coloring in the color of

Preheat the oven to 200°F. Dab a blob of meringue on each corner of a baking sheet then line with parchment paper, using the blobs to glue it down. Fold the food coloring into the meringue mixture to make a light pastel shade. Put the meringue into a large piping bag with a 1-inch opening, or use a disposable piping bag and cut the tip to a 1-inch opening after filling. Pipe about twenty-four 2-inch mounds of meringue (see page 35 for help with piping) onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about ¾ inch apart. Moisten your fingertip with water and carefully smooth out the tips and round the surfaces of the meringue mounds, creating a dome shape. Dust each one with a tiny pinch of cocoa powder. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the meringues come off the parchment paper easily with their bases intact. Let cool completely on the baking sheet. Using a small spatula or knife, spread the bottom of each meringue with about 2 tsp of the chocolate ganache. Form the eggs by putting two meringues together, chocolate side to chocolate side. These make a lovely gift and keep well for up to 1 week in an airtight container.

your choice ½ batch Meringue Girls Mixture (page 26) Cocoa powder for dusting Chocolate Ganache (page 38)

130

MERINGUE ALPHABET Why stick to piping only kisses? Get creative with the alphabet. Bake the letters of a friend’s name, or a message like “happy birthday.” Meringue letters are great for kids’ parties or big romantic gestures. Or you could make the letters small to decorate the top of a cake. As you pipe, remember that the meringue will expand a bit in the oven. We use nonnatural gel food colorings here to achieve stronger, more vibrant hues. ues. You’ll You ll need a piping bagg for each color; disposablee bags bags are an easy and inexpensive expensivve option.

Position three racks in the oven—in the bottom, middle, and upper part—and preheat your oven to 200°F. Line three baking sheets with parchment paper and glue down the corners of the parchment with dabs of meringue. For each food coloring that you use, brush the inside bottom 2 inches of a disposable piping bag (the area near the tip) with coloring. Fill the bag with meringue mixture and twist the open end of the bag to push the meringue down to the bottom. Cut a ¾-inch opening at the tip of the bag and pipe your letters onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 1 inch apart. When all your letters have been piped, bake for 1 hour, or until firm and the meringues can be lifted off the parchment with ease. Be gentle, because the letters are fragile. Let baking Le et cool o completely com mpletely y on tthe he bak akin ing g sh sheets. These will keep airtight container. for up to 1 week e in an na irtigh ir ght cont n aiine ner. rr..

OUT MAKES ABOUT Fifteen 4-inCH -inCC H LETTERS irls irl 1 batch Meringue G Girls Mixture (page 26)) Gel food coloring in n the colors of your choice oice 135 355

using your

tolks

PASSION FRUIT CURD Use this zingy passion fruit curd as the filling for the tartlets on page 107. If you can find fresh passion fruit, to get pulp, cut the fruits in half, scoop out the insides, and strain to remove the seeds. You’ll need 10 to 12 fresh passion fruits for this recipe. Or you can use frozen passion fruit pulp, which is often sold in Latin American grocery stores or wellstocked supermarkets and specialty shops.

Place the passion fruit pulp, lemon juice, butter, and sugar in a medium-size, heavy-bottomed saucepan. Set the pan over medium heat and stir until the butter has melted and the sugar has dissolved. In a medium bowl, whisk the egg yolks until combined. While whisking continuously, gradually add the hot passion fruit mixture to the egg yolks, then pour the passion fruit–yolk mixture back into the pan. Cook over low heat, stirring, until the curd is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, 6 to 7 minutes. Transfer the curd to a bowl and let cool completely. If not using immediately, cover with plastic wrap or put in an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

MAKES about 2 Cups ⅔ cup passion fruit pulp 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice ¾ cup plus 2 tbsp/170 g chilled unsalted butter, cut into cubes 1 cup/200 g superfine sugar 5 egg yolks

139

LEMON CURD WITH LEMONGRASS We LOVE tangy, creamy lemon curd. It’s one of life’s simple pleasures. You can buy lemon curd, but it's really satisfying to make your own. Our version includes lemongrass, and we sometimes add a fresh chile for a little heat. Make it on a rainy day and keep it in the fridge, or give some to friends as a homemade gift.

MAKES about 2 Cups 1 stalk lemongrass, white part

In a medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the lemongrass, chile (if using), lemon zest and juice, sugar, and butter. Cook over medium heat, stirring, until the butter has melted and the sugar has completely dissolved. Strain through a sieve set over a bowl. In a medium bowl, lightly whisk together the eggs and egg yolks. While whisking continuously so that the eggs don’t scramble, slowly pour in the hot lemon mixture. Once it has all been added, whisk until well combined. In a small bowl, stir together the cornstarch and water until smooth, then whisk this slurry into the egg-lemon mixture. Pour the egg-lemon mixture back into the saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring continuously, until the curd is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 10 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and let the curd cool completely, stirring occasionally. Once cooled, transfer to a container, cover tightly, and refrigerate until ready to use, or for up to 1 week.

only, bruised with a knife 1 fresh red chile, sliced lengthwise (optional) Grated zest and juice of 2 lemons 1 cup plus 2 tbsp/225 g superfine sugar ½ cup/60 g chilled unsalted butter, cut into cubes 2 eggs, plus 2 egg yolks 1 tsp cornstarch 1 tsp water

140 00

CHEATER’S LEMON CURD

TART FILLING

This is the easiest way to make a delicious citrus curd tart filling. It’s so simple and quick but works like a dream. We’ve stayed y with the cclassic lassic llemon emon ccurd urd here, butt feel feel ffree ree ttoo ssububstitute lime me oorr ggrapefruit rapefruit juice for tthe he llemon emon jjuice. uice. The recipe makes pe m akes enough enough to fill an 88-inch -inch ttart art sshell; hell; prebake tthe pour he sshell, hell,, p our in in the curd,, and bake and tthen hen b ake at 325°F ffor minutes, orr 1155 m inutes, or until the the filling filliing has has just just set. Let tthe he ttart art ccool ool ccomompletely bbefore efore sserving. erving.

Chill all of your bowls and beaters for at least 30 minutes before beginning. In a medium bowl, beat the egg yolks with a handheld mixer for 2 minutes, or until thickened and pale in color. Add the condensed milk and beat until for you see trails in the thickening 3 minutes,, or until y g mixture. Finally, add zest juice and until well F Fi nall na lly, ll y, a dd tthe he llemon emon em on n z esst an and d ju juic ice ic ce an nd beat b ea be att unt u n il nt i w elll el combined about Transfer comb co mbin mb ined in ed and and peaks pea p eaks ea ks fform, o m,, a or boutt 4 minutes. bo miin nut u ess. Tr T ran ansf sfer e tto oa container, cover and refrigerate until use, cont co ntai nt a ne ai ner, r c r, cov over ov er tig ttightly, ight ig htly ht ly y, an nd re effrrig ger erat ate u un ntiil re rready ady ad dy to ou us sse e, or week. forr up tto fo o 1 we week ek.. ek

MAKES about 2 Cups 3 egg yolks One 14-ounce can cold sweetened condensed milk Grated zest and juice of 4 lemons (grapefruit, blood orange, or lime juice will work, too)

141

VANILLA CUSTARD This classic vanilla custard sauce is a great way to use up spare egg yolks. If you like, you can use a vanilla bean instead of vanilla extract. Split the pod in half lengthwise and scrape out the seeds. Add both the pod and the seeds to milk mixture in the saucepan and bring to a simmer, then remove the pan from the heat, cover, and let the flavors infuse for a few minutes. Remove the pod halves, then continue with the recipe.

MAKES about 2 1/2 cups

In a small, heavy-bottomed saucepan, bring the milk and half-and-half to a simmer over low heat. In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, sugar, and cornstarch. While whisking continuously, slowly pour in the hot milk mixture, then return the mixture to the saucepan. Bring to a simmer over low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. As you stir, scrape along the bottom of the pan, feeling for a silky, slippery texture that indicates that the custard is beginning to thicken. As soon as the custard is thick enough to coat the back of the spoon, pour it through a sieve set over a bowl to remove any lumps. Add the vanilla extract and serve immediately, or if you want to keep the custard hot for a while, pour it into a pitcher, cover with plastic wrap, and set the pitcher in a warm-water bath.

2⅓ cups whole milk ¼ cup half-and-half 4 egg yolks 2½ tbsp superfine sugar 2 tsp cornstarch 1 tbsp vanilla extract

143

LYONS

CAKES

other MERINGUE

methods

MARSHMALLOW

MERINGUE This recipe makes a really gooey meringue. When chilled, the marshmallows set the mixture so you get an extra thick and mallowy texture. This meringue is delicious on the no-bake pretzel and chocolate tart on page 105, or use it as a topping for any sweet tart or cake.

MAKES 2 Cups 150 g superfine sugar (¾ cup)

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper, pour in the sugar, and put the baking sheet in the oven for about 5 minutes, until the edges of the sugar are just beginning to melt. Heating the sugar will help it dissolve in the egg whites more quickly and help create a glossy, stable mixture. Meanwhile, make sure the bowl and whisk attachment of your standing mixer are free from grease. Pour the egg whites into the bowl. Whisk on low speed at first, allowing small bubbles to form, then increase the speed to high and continue whisking until the egg whites form stiff peaks and the bowl can be tipped upside down without the whites falling out. Stop whisking just before the whites take on a cotton-woolly appearance; if they do, they have been overwhisked and the egg white protein has lost some elasticity.

75 g egg whites (from about 2½ eggs)

By now, the sugar should be ready to take out of the oven. sh

whisking again at high 110 g marshmallow creme (½ cup) With the whites stiff and while wh

148

speed, add one big tablespoonful of the hot sugar after another to the bowl, ensuring that the whites come back up to stiff peaks after each addition. Don’t worry about small clumps of sugar, but avoid adding any large chunks of caramelized sugar from the edges of the baking sheet. Once you have added the sugar, continue to whisk on high speed for 5 to 7 minutes. Rub a bit of the mixture between your fingers, and if you can still feel gritty sugar, keep whisking at high speed until the sugar has dissolved, the mixture is smooth, and the bowl is a little cooler to the touch. The meringue will continue to thicken up during this stage. You know it is ready to use when it forms a nice smooth, shiny curved peak on your finger. In a microwave-safe bowl, heat the marshmallows on high power in the microwave until melted, 30 to 60 seconds. Gently fold the melted marshmallows into the meringue mixture. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until the meringue has set, about 3 hours. It is now ready to use.

149

ITALIAN MERINGUE The Italian meringue method involves making a sugar syrup, which is beaten while still hot into the stiff egg whites to cook the meringue on the spot. There is no need to bake Italian meringue, so it’s a great mixture to use as a topping, as for the Lemon Meringue Tart (page 84) and Passion Fruit Meringue Filo Tarts (page 107).

MAKES 3 Cups

Pour the sugar and water into a small heavy-bottomed saucepan and attach a candy thermometer to the pan, if you have one. Slowly bring the mixture to a boil over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon. Have a pastry brush and a cup of cold water on hand to wash down any sugar crystals that get stuck to the side of the pan. If you let them build up, they will attract other bits of sugar and the sugar won’t dissolve well. The syrup is ready when it registers 250°F on the candy thermometer. If you are not using a thermometer, test the syrup by dropping a small teaspoonful into a cup of cold water; it should set into a firm ball that can be squashed between your fingers. If it just dissolves into the water, the syrup is not yet ready. If it sets into a hard ball, like a hard candy, the syrup is too hot for making Italian meringue; let it cool for 2 minutes or so to bring it down to the correct temperature.

115 g granulated sugar (½ cup plus 1 tbsp) 3 tbsp water 60 g egg whites

While the syrup is cooking, whisk the egg whites on low speed in a stand mixer until frothy, then increase the speed to high and continue whisking until they form stiff peaks.

(from about 2 eggs)

150

As soon as the syrup is ready, turn the mixer speed to medium and pour the hot syrup onto the whites in a slow, steady stream. Try not to pour it onto the wires of the whisk as it will quickly harden and stick to the cool metal. Once you’ve added all the syrup, whisk on high speed until the mixture is stiff, shiny, and cooled, which will take 5 to 7 minutes. The meringue is now ready to use. If you are using the meringue as a pie topping, after applying it, you can brown it with a kitchen torch or under a preheated broiler.

151

MAPLE MERINGUE This maple meringue uses natural maple syrup instead of refined sugar. It's made like an Italian meringue—you heat the syrup to a high temperature and add it to the stiff egg whites. The earthy and rich maple flavor really comes through. The meringue doesn’t need to be baked, so it's perfect for our Maple Meringue Doughnuts on page 119. It also works really well in recipes for baked meringues (you can make kisses with it) or as a topping for waffles. You will need a candy thermometer for cooking the syrup.

Put the maple syrup in a small heavy-bottomed saucepan and attach a candy thermometer to the pan. Place over medium heat. When the syrup approaches 220°F, begin whisking the egg whites on low speed in a stand mixer. When they’re frothy, increase the speed to high and beat until the whites hold stiff peaks. When the syrup has come up to 235°F, turn the mixer speed to medium and slowly stream in the hot maple syrup. Once you’ve added all the syrup, whisk on high speed until the meringue is thick and a little shiny; this will take 5 to 7 minutes. The meringue is now ready to use.

MAKES 3 cups ½ cup maple syrup 60 g egg whites (from about 2 eggs)

153

Staces Laves LONG SKIRTS

Thrift Shop Bargains

SUGARS IN IN HER HER TEA TEA 33 SUGARS RED LIPSTICK

Japanese Anime AND BJöRK

Alex Laves BOSTON TERRIERS GOLD dISCO PANT

FOOD STYLIND VINTAGE KICHNALTA & PAMEGANATE PHASECCO

SCAN WITH

layar SEE PAGE 4

for instructions

Index

A

Almonds Almond Meringue Roulade, 87 Lemon Meringue Cake, 67 Alphabet, Meringue, 135 Amaretti Cookies, Crushed, Grilled Peaches with Maple Meringue and, 81 Apples, Spiced, with Salted Crumble, Cinnamon Kisses, and Vanilla Custard, 123

B

Bananas, Caramelized, Maple Meringue Doughnuts with, 118–19 Beet, Barbie Cake, Chocolate and, 50–51 Berries. See also individual berries Frozen Berries and Hot Custard with Meringue Kisses, 101 Summery Eton Mess, 69 Blackberries, Meringue Layer Cake with Chocolate and, 112–13 Boozy Winter Eton Mess, 115

C

Cakes Almond Meringue Roulade, 87 Chocolate and Beet Barbie Cake, 50–51 Lemon Meringue Cake, 67 Meringue Layer Cake with Chocolate and Blackberries, 112–13 Meringue Rainbow Cake, 78–79 Canapés, Kiss, with Pomegranate Prosecco, 43 Candies Ferrero Rocher Meringue Tower, 55 Honeycomb, Chocolate, and Salted Peanut Meringues, 98 Surprise Kisses, 47 Caramel, Salted, Poached Pear, and Chocolate Drizzle Meringue Slab, 110–11 Chai, flavoring with, 33 Cheater’s Lemon Curd Tart Filling, 141 Chewy Pistachio Coffee Dunkers, 128 Chocolate Chocolate and Beet Barbie Cake, 50–51 Chocolate Chip Cookie Meringue Squares, 95 Ferrero Rocher Meringue Tower, 55 flavoring with, 30 ganache, as kiss filling, 38 Giant Meringues, 117 Honeycomb, Chocolate, and Salted Peanut Meringues, 98 Mayan Hot Chocolate with Floating Kisses, 45 Meringue Easter Eggs, 130

Meringue Layer Cake with Chocolate and Blackberries, 112–13 Pretzel and Chocolate Marshmallow Meringue Tart, 105 Salted Caramel, Poached Pear, and Chocolate Drizzle Meringue Slab, 110–11 Cinnamon flavoring with, 31 Spiced Apples with Salted Crumble, Cinnamon Kisses, and Vanilla Custard, 123 Clementines Boozy Winter Eton Mess, 115 Coconut, flavoring with, 31 Coffee cream, as kiss filling, 39 Coffee Dunkers, Chewy Pistachio, 128 Cointreau Boozy Winter Eton Mess, 115 Compote Jars, Gooseberry and Strawberry Meringue, 89 Cookies Chewy Pistachio Coffee Dunkers, 128 Chocolate Chip Cookie Meringue Squares, 95 Grilled Peaches with Crushed Amaretti Cookies and Maple Meringue, 81 Cream cheese Chocolate and Beet Barbie Cake, 50–51 Curds Cheater’s Lemon Curd Tart Filling, 141 Lemon Curd with Lemongrass, 140 Passion Fruit Curd, 139 Custard Frozen Berries and Hot Custard with Meringue Kisses, 101 Vanilla Custard, 143

D

Doughnuts, Maple Meringue, with Caramelized Bananas, 118–19

E

Eggs. See also Egg yolks Meringue Easter Eggs, 130 separating, 22 size of, 22 Egg yolks Cheater’s Lemon Curd Tart Filling, 141 Lemon Curd with Lemongrass, 140 Passion Fruit Curd, 139 Vanilla Custard, 143 Equipment, 22–23 Eton mess Boozy Winter Eton Mess, 115 Summery Eton Mess, 69 157

F

Ferrero Rocher Meringue Tower, 55 Figs, Pistachio and Rose Water Pavlova with Greek Yogurt, Honey, and, 74 Filo Tartlets, Passion Fruit Meringue, 107 Frozen Berries and Hot Custard with Meringue Kisses, 101

G

Gelato, Raspberry Ripple and Meringue, 64 Giant Meringues, 117 Ginger flavoring with, 32 Love Hearts with Rhubarb and Ginger, 61 Gooseberry and Strawberry Meringue Compote Jars, 89 Green tea, flavoring with, 32 Grilled Peaches with Crushed Amaretti Cookies and Maple Meringue, 81

H

Hazelnuts, flavoring with, 30 Honey Honeycomb, Chocolate, and Salted Peanut Meringues, 98 manuka, flavoring with, 32 Pistachio and Rose Water Pavlova with Greek Yogurt, Honey, and Figs, 74 Hot cross bun flavoring, 31

I

Ice cream Raspberry Ripple and Meringue Gelato, 64 Italian Meringue, 150–51

K

Kisses Boozy Winter Eton Mess, 115 Chocolate and Beet Barbie Cake, 50–51 Ferrero Rocher Meringue Tower, 55 fillings for, 38–39 Frozen Berries and Hot Custard with Meringue Kisses, 101 Kiss Canapés with Pomegranate Prosecco, 43 Mayan Hot Chocolate with Floating Kisses, 45 Meringue Profiteroles, 53 piping, 35 Rainbow Wedding Tier, 41 Spiced Apples with Salted Crumble, Cinnamon Kisses, and Vanilla Custard, 123

striping, 34 Summery Eton Mess, 69 Surprise Kisses, 47

L

Lavender, flavoring with, 30 Lemons Cheater’s Lemon Curd Tart Filling, 141 Lemon Curd with Lemongrass, 140 Lemon Meringue Cake, 67 Lemon Meringue Tart, 84–85 Lemon Meringue Waffles, 91 Lemon Sorbet Meringue Crunch, 73 and poppy seed, as kiss filling, 39 Lollies, Strawberry-Meringue Ice, 63 Love Hearts with Rhubarb and Ginger, 61

M

M&M’s Surprise Kisses, 47 Maple syrup Grilled Peaches with Crushed Amaretti Cookies and Maple Meringue, 81 Maple Meringue, 153 Maple Meringue Doughnuts with Caramelized Bananas, 118–19 Marshmallows Lemon Meringue Cake, 67 Marshmallow Meringue, 148–49 Pretzel and Chocolate Marshmallow Meringue Tart, 105 Surprise Kisses, 47 Mascarpone cheese Salted Caramel, Poached Pear, and Chocolate Drizzle Meringue Slab, 110–11 Mayan Hot Chocolate with Floating Kisses, 45 Meringue Alphabet, 135 Meringue Easter Eggs, 130 Meringue Layer Cake with Chocolate and Blackberries, 112–13 Meringue Profiteroles, 53 Meringue Rainbow Cake, 78–79 Meringues. See also individual recipes flavoring, 30–33 Giant Meringues, 117 Italian Meringue, 150–51 Maple Meringue, 153 Marshmallow Meringue, 148–49 Meringue Girls Mixture, 26–27 storing, 23 tips for, 22–23

158

N

Sorbet Meringue Crunch, Lemon, 73 Spiced Apples with Salted Crumble, Cinnamon Kisses, and Vanilla Custard, 123 Strawberries flavoring with black pepper and, 32 Gooseberry and Strawberry Meringue Compote Jars, 89 Strawberry-Meringue Ice Lollies, 63 Summery Eton Mess, 69 Sugar adding, 23 superfine, 22 Summery Eton Mess, 69 Surprise Kisses, 47

Nutella buttercream, as kiss filling, 39

P

Passion fruit flavoring with, 31 Passion Fruit Curd, 139 Passion Fruit Meringue Filo Tartlets, 107 Pavlova, Pistachio and Rose Water, with Greek Yogurt, Honey, and Figs, 74 Peaches, Grilled, with Crushed Amaretti Cookies and Maple Meringue, 81 Peanut, Salted, Honeycomb, and Chocolate Meringues, 98 Peanut butter, as kiss filling, 38 Pear, Poached, Salted Caramel, and Chocolate Drizzle Meringue Slab, 110–11 Pistachios Chewy Pistachio Coffee Dunkers, 128 flavoring with rose water and, 31 Giant Meringues, 117 Pistachio and Rose Water Pavlova with Greek Yogurt, Honey, and Figs, 74 Pomegranate Meringue Slab, 71 Pomegranates Boozy Winter Eton Mess, 115 Kiss Canapés with Pomegranate Prosecco, 43 Pomegranate Meringue Slab, 71 Pretzel and Chocolate Marshmallow Meringue Tart, 105 Profiteroles, Meringue, 53

T

Tartar, cream of, 22 Tarts and tartlets Cheater’s Lemon Curd Tart Filling, 141 Lemon Meringue Tart, 84–85 Passion Fruit Meringue Filo Tartlets, 107 Pretzel and Chocolate Marshmallow Meringue Tart, 105 Tips, 22–23

V

Vanilla flavoring with, 32 Vanilla Custard, 143 Vinegar, 23

W

R

Waffles, Lemon Meringue, 91 Walnuts Salted Caramel, Poached Pear, and Chocolate Drizzle Meringue Slab, 110–11 Wedding Tier, Rainbow, 41

Rainbow Wedding Tier, 41 Raspberries Almond Meringue Roulade, 87 Boozy Winter Eton Mess, 115 flavoring with, 32 Meringue Profiteroles, 53 Raspberry Ripple and Meringue Gelato, 64 Summery Eton Mess, 69 Rhubarb, Love Hearts with Ginger and, 61 Roulade, Almond Meringue, 87

Y

Yogurt, Greek, Pistachio and Rose Water Pavlova with Honey, Figs, and, 74

S

Salted Caramel, Poached Pear, and Chocolate Drizzle Meringue Slab, 110–11 Slabs Pomegranate Meringue Slab, 71 Salted Caramel, Poached Pear, and Chocolate Drizzle Meringue Slab, 110–11

159

We would like to thank . . . David Loftus , undoubtably

the world’s best food photographer, for believing in the underdogs and for educating us on the rules of Instagram etiquette! Without you, this book would be nowhere nearly as beautiful as it is. The team at Square Peg , especially Rowan Yapp for her belief in us and our occasional off-the-wall ideas!

Doug Kerr and Gemma Germains from our brilliant design team at Well Made Studio , who hit the nail on the head, and also KENN GOODALL for the painted titles.

Alex’s parents, Laurie Hoffler & Nicky Stephenson aka Mumma & Papa Louigi . Thank you for everything, I love you both more than the universe.

Stacey’s parents, Sue & Brendan O’Gorman aka Mama Gorm & Papa Gorm ,

Sian O’Gorman , for being the best sister in the world, for her creative genius and eye for design, and for being the creator of the Meringue Girls logo. Neil ”Real“ Burnell for all

Claire Strickett (our first ever MG employee!) for not only being a pro meringue maker, but also for her general amazingness and help with all aspects of the business.

your love and support over eight wonderful years, and for keeping the bed warm for me after long nights of baking.

Melissa Bakth at Squash Banana Designs for her

Brady Polkie for always

exquiste hand modeling and help on the book shoot.

keeping my spirits up. I am the luckiest girl in the world.

Nico Rilla , our incredibly

supportive head chef (and second dad). Meringue Girls would not exist without you. All the teachers at Leiths

School of Food and Wine

for their fantastic instruction, and all the Leiths Students that have helped us along the way.

Gizzi Erskine for seeing

beautiful website, and her continued support.

Andy Fernandez for her

Dean Brett schneider , the master baker, for giving us the time to pick your brain, and for all your mentoring advice. Martyn and the whole team at Happy Kitchen for so generously sharing their space with us. Matt Young , aka Van Blanc , who is the classiest white-van man in town.

for their never-ending support from a far. Also,

something in us and always having our back.

DENIS from Deneemotion ,

for their generosity and Auntie Carol for her award-winning recipe development ideas.

Jo Harris at Topham Street for her

BECCA GRAHAM , the best PR girl you could ever wish for, and the best chance meeting on Gumtree.

Meringue girls x

Ashlee Ackland , for your

Grandma & Grandpa Blair

Tim Etchells for all his fantastic advice and for putting the MG wheels in motion.

incredible eye for style and general loveliness.

for our wonderful videos.

incredible data entry skills and general awesomeness.

Meringuex

girls

alex hoffler

stacey o’gorman

and are the Meringue Girls, a London-based food events shop that supplies sweets and food styling via pop-ups and V.I.P. events throughout London. Alex, a London native, loves gold disco pants, vintage kitchenalia, and Boston terriers. Stacey, from Auckland, New Zealand, loves red lipstick, anime, and BjÖrk, and takes three sugars in her tea.

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