Cloud Meringues Recipes

LEMON CLOUD PIE II

Steps:

• Beat egg whites and cream of tartar until soft peaks form. Slowly beat in 1 cup sugar, then 2 teaspoons lemon rind; continue to beat until very stiff and glossy, about 10 minutes. Spoon meringue into well buttered pie plate, and spread evenly to form a shell. Bake at 300 degrees F (150 degrees C) for 50 minutes, until firm. Cool.
• Beat egg yolks, slowly adding remaining 1 cup sugar, beat until thick. Mix cornstarch with lemon juice, and add to yolk mixture. Stir in water and 2 teaspoons lemon rind. Cook over low heat until thick and bubbling. Remove and chill, covering with plastic wrap to keep film from forming on surface.
• Beat whipping cream, and fold into cold lemon custard. Spoon into meringue shell. Cover, and chill 3 to 4 hours before serving.

MERINGUE CLOUDS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Arrange two oven racks evenly in the oven.
• Line a sheet pan with parchment paper and spread the sugar in an even layer on the paper. (Leave a small border of paper around the sugar so the sugar doesn't spill onto the pan.) Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until the sugar is hot (an edge will begin to brown). Reduce the oven temperature to 250 degrees F.
• Meanwhile, place the egg whites in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. When the sugar is almost ready, whisk the egg whites on high speed for 1 minute, until the whites are frothy. With the mixer still on high, slowly add the hot sugar to the egg whites. (I use a large spoon to start and then pick up the paper and pour the sugar in slowly.) Add the vanilla and continue to whisk on high for 10 minutes, until the meringue is at room temperature. It will be very thick and glossy.
• Using two large serving spoons, scoop 12 very large oval dollops of meringue onto two sheet pans lined with parchment paper. You should be able to get 6 meringues on each pan; space them well because they will expand while they bake. Place 3 candied rose petals on top of each meringue. Bake for 2 hours, until the outsides of the meringues are crisp and the centers are still soft. Set aside to cool on baking racks. Allow to sit uncovered and serve at room temperature. (Don't refrigerate or store covered or they will lose their crispness.)

STRAWBERRY-RHUBARB MERINGUE CLOUDS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 225°F. Grease 2 cookie sheets with shortening or cooking spray. In large bowl, beat egg whites and cream of tartar with electric mixer on medium speed until soft peaks form. On high speed, gradually beat in 1/2 cup sugar until stiff glossy peaks form and sugar is almost dissolved. Spoon meringue into 8 (4- to 5-inch) rounds on cookie sheets, hollowing center slightly with back of spoon to form shells.
• Bake 1 hour. DO NOT OPEN OVEN. Turn oven off; let meringue shells stand in oven with door closed 1 hour.
• Meanwhile, in 2-quart saucepan, mix all filling ingredients except strawberries. Cook over medium-low heat 15 to 20 minutes, stirring frequently, until filling is slightly thickened and rhubarb is soft. Stir in strawberries. Cool completely, about 1 hour.
• Spoon about 1/4 cup filling into each meringue shell. Store filling in refrigerator.

CLOUD MERINGUES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 120C/100C fan/gas 1. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Using a pencil, draw 6-8 clouds on each piece of parchment measuring about 10cm across by 8cm in height. Use a template as the left half of the cloud needs to be a mirror image of the right (or they won't match when they are sandwiched together). Then, turn the parchment over so the pencil marks don't come into contact with the meringue.
• Whisk the egg whites until stiff, then gradually whisk in the sugar, a tablespoon at a time, until stiff and glossy. Add in the black food colouring to make a light grey.
• Place the meringue mix in a large piping bag and pipe over the templates. Bake for 20 mins then reduce the heat to 100C/80C fan/gas ¼ and cook for a further hour or until completely dry. Leave to cool thoroughly in the oven.
• To create the storm cloud lollies, pipe stiff royal icing on the meringue, just around the edge, then add a little more to secure the stick. Fill the inside of the piped area with coloured sprinkles of your choice. Add the lolly stick to the cloud, over the icing, then sandwich the other meringue over the top to enclose the sprinkles and the top of the lolly stick. Leave to dry completely for about 3 hours or overnight.

CLOUD CAKE

Steps:

• Meringue: Preheat oven to 275 degrees. Butter three 8-inch round cake pans. Line bottoms and sides with parchment, leaving at least 1/2 inch extra on sides; butter parchment. Pulse sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a food processor until finely ground.
• With a mixer on medium-high speed, beat egg whites and cream of tartar until soft peaks form. Beat in sugar mixture, 1 tablespoon at a time, then beat until stiff, glossy peaks form, about 5 minutes more. Divide mixture among pans; smooth tops. Bake 1 hour, then turn off oven and prop open door. Let cool 1 hour. Transfer pan to a wire rack; let cool completely.
• Cream: In a bowl, whisk together sugar, flour, and salt. In a saucepan, combine buttermilk, yolks, and vanilla pod and seeds; place over medium heat. Gradually whisk in sugar mixture. Cook, stirring, until just boiling, about 9 minutes. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve, pressing on solids; press plastic wrap directly on surface and refrigerate until cold, at least 1 hour and up to 3 days.
• Caramel: Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray. Stir together sugar and corn syrup in a microwave-proof bowl. Microwave on high 3 minutes, stirring after each minute. Stir again, then microwave just until golden and caramelized, about 15 seconds more. Immediately pour mixture onto prepared sheet and let cool until firm. Remove from sheet; finely chop.
• Using parchment, lift meringue cakes from pans; discard parchment. Carefully place one cake on a platter or cake stand. Spread half of cream on top. Sprinkle with 3 tablespoons caramel. Repeat with second cake layer, remaining cream, and 3 more tablespoons caramel. Top with whipped cream and remaining caramel; serve immediately.

MERINGUE COOKIES OR CLOUD COOKIES

Steps:

• Beat egg whites, cream of tartar and salt until soft peaks form. Add vanilla.
• Gradually add sugar, beat until stiff. (Don't over beat though or they get 'tough'!) Fold in chocolate chips and nuts.
• Drop by teaspoonful on a cookie sheet covered with parchment paper. Bake until dry at 300 degrees, about 20-25 minutes (sometimes this takes 35-45 minutes).
• Note: you can also add 2 Tbls of cocoa to make Chocolate Clouds.

MERINGUE CLOUDS

Steps:

• Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven; preheat to 250 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Beat the egg whites, cream of tartar and salt in a large clean dry bowl with a mixer on medium speed until foamy. Increase the speed to medium high and beat until thick and opaque, about 1 more minute. Gradually add the confectioners' sugar, about 1/4 cup at a time, and beat until stiff shiny peaks form, about 5 more minutes.
• Scoop 6 large mounds of meringue (3/4 cup each) onto the baking sheets, leaving space between each. Using the back of a spoon, pull up the meringue to form swoops and spikes on each mound. Sprinkle with coarse sugar. Bake at 250 degrees F until dry and crisp, 4 to 5 hours. Let cool completely on the baking sheets. Store in an airtight container in a dry place for up to 1 week.