Meringues are the epitome of a summer dessert; light, fluffy meringue nests topped with thick cream and a sprinkling of summer seasonal berries. It’s a sweet treat well worth knowing how to make, and made easier with chef Gordon Ramsay’s “masterclass” recipe. Sharing his expertise with Good Food, the chef noted that the basics are important to get right with meringues, and that starts with using the right ingredients.
For the meringue nests, egg whites, lemon juice, and caster sugar are whipped together into a thick, glossy mixture. But Gordon notes that this is exactly where many people struggle. So, he shared a simple tip to make this classic recipe completely foolproof.
Gordon said: “Older egg whites are better for whisking than fresh – about a week old is ideal. The older they get, the more they liquefy and become easier to whisk.”
According to food experts at The Kitchn, egg whites foam up much more easily and with greater volume when they’re older, but the resulting foam has larger bubbles and a less stable structure.
Gordon stressed the importance of getting the right equipment. He says all equipment used to make meringues must be scrupulously clean, dry, and grease-free.
That means cleaning off the tiniest drops of oil and ensuring not even a pin drop of egg yolk creeps into the whites. All of these problems can stop egg whites from whisking properly.
The chef instructed that a metal bowl be used, as plastic retains traces of fatty substances on its surface.
Heat the oven to 110C/fan 90C then make a start on the meringues. Gordon suggests that a lower heat is even better, and to use your oven’s ‘keep warm’ function if it has one.
Add the egg whites and lemon juice into the clean bowl of a food mixer if you have one.
Whisk on low to medium speed until the mixture doubles in volume and holds a peak when the whisk is drawn through it. Keep the whisk running and add the sugar one tablespoon at a time, incorporating completely before adding the next.
Continue to whisk until all of the sugar has been added and the whites are glossy.
Line a large baking tray with a sheet of greaseproof paper, then pencil nine circles, about 7cm each, onto the paper.
Spoon the meringue into a large piping bag fitted with a plain nozzle (or use a sandwich bag with a corner snipped off), and pipe concentric rounds to fit each drawn circle. Pipe two or more rings around the edge to form a nest.
Transfer the meringue nests to the oven and cook for two hours until crisp. Lift off the paper easily. Allow to cool completely before topping.
Whisk the crème fraîche into a stiff mixture, then fold in the yoghurt. Set two strawberries and nine raspberries aside and roughly chop the rest.
Add the chopped berries, mint, and ginger to a bowl. Sprinkle with a little icing sugar, and use a wooden spoon to mash everything into a rough purée. Gently fold the berries into the yoghurt mix, adding icing sugar to taste.
Cut the remaining strawberries into nine slices and place a slice inside each meringue case. Evenly divide the rippled cream between the cases, then top with a raspberry and a mint sprig.
Keep un-topped meringues in an airtight container for two days. Top with a dusting of icing sugar just before serving.