Best Lemon Meringues Recipes

LEMON MERINGUES

Steps:

• Position oven racks in the top and bottom thirds of the oven and preheat to 250 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment.
• Beat the egg whites and salt with an electric mixer on medium-high speed in a large bowl until foamy. Add the cream of tartar and continue to beat until soft peaks form. While beating, gradually add the sugar and then continue to beat until stiff peaks form. Beat in the lemon extract.
• Transfer the mixture to a pastry bag fitted with a star tip and pipe 1-inch meringues on the prepared baking sheets about 1 inch apart. Bake until the meringues are no longer glossy and feel light and dry when picked up, about 1 hour. Turn off the oven but leave the meringues inside with the door cracked open until they are completely cool and dry, about 2 hours. The meringues can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.

HAZELNUT MERINGUES WITH LEMON CREAM AND BLOOD ORANGE SYRUP

Steps:

• For lemon cream:
• Place 1 tablespoon lemon juice in small bowl; sprinkle gelatin over. Let stand until gelatin softens, about 10 minutes. Stir butter, lemon peel and remaining lemon juice in small saucepan over low heat until butter melts. Whisk eggs, yolks and sugar in medium metal bowl to blend. Gradually whisk in butter mixture. Set bowl over saucepan of simmering water (do not let bottom of bowl touch water). Whisk constantly until mixture is thick and thermometer registers 140°F for 3 minutes, about 8 minutes total. Remove from over water. Add gelatin mixture to hot lemon curd; whisk until gelatin dissolves. Chill until curd cools to room temperature, stirring often, about 30 minutes. Beat cream in large bowl until medium peaks form. Fold whipped cream into curd. Cover; chill lemon cream until cold, at least 4 hours and up to 2 days.
• For meringues:
• Preheat oven to 275°F Line 17x11x1-inch baking sheet with parchment paper, leaving 1-inch overhang at short ends. Using electric mixer, beat whites in large bowl to soft peaks. Gradually add 1 1/4 cups sugar, beating until stiff and glossy. Fold in nuts. Spread meringue in prepared pan.
• Bake meringue until firm and dry to touch and pale golden, about 1 hour 25 minutes. Immediately cut around pan sides to loosen. Pull parchment with meringue onto work surface. Trim meringue to 14x10 1/2-inch rectangle. Run knife under meringue to loosen from parchment. Cut meringue lengthwise into three 3 1/2-inch-wide strips. Cut crosswise into twelve 3 1/2-inch squares. Cut each square on diagonal, forming total of 24 triangles. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Store in airtight container in single layers between sheets of waxed paper.)
• Place 12 meringue triangles on work surface. Top each with 1/4 cup lemon cream. Place second triangle on each, pressing slightly to adhere. Run edge of spatula around assembled meringues to smooth filling at edges. Sift powdered sugar over. Transfer each dessert to plate. Drizzle with Blood Orange Syrup.

LEMON BEEHIVE MERINGUES

Steps:

• Let egg whites stand at room temperature in a large mixing bowl for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, line baking sheet with parchment paper. Using a pencil, draw eight 2-1/4-inch circles and eight 1-3/4-inch circles about 1 inch apart on the paper.* Turn paper pencil-side down on baking sheet; set aside. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
• Add lemon juice and cream of tartar to egg whites. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until soft peaks form (tips curl). Add sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating on high speed about 7 minutes or until very stiff peaks form (tips stand straight) and sugar is almost dissolved.
• Using a pastry bag fitted with a medium (1/4-inch) round tip, pipe a flat base of meringue onto all of the circles on the paper. Pipe a ring of meringue onto edges of each of the 8 larger meringue rounds, building the sides 3/4 inch tall by piping a continuous coil of meringue to form a small shell. For tops, pipe a coil of meringue on smaller rounds to make a cone shape that resembles the top of a beehive.
• Bake 30 minutes. Turn off oven. Let meringues dry in oven, with door closed, at least 1 hour. Remove from paper. Place in an airtight container. Store in a cool, dry place up to 1 week.
• Just before serving, spoon 1 tablespoon of lemon curd into each bottom meringue shell. Place a few berries on lemon curd. Prop top of meringue beehive next to bottom.
• *Note: For free-form meringue shells without tops, make eight 3-inch circles on parchment. Use back of a large spoon to spread meringue over circles, building up sides to form shells. Bake as directed.

FAROFIAS (POACHED MERINGUES IN LEMON CUSTARD WITH CINNAMON)

Steps:

• In a deep 10- or 11-inch skillet set over moderately low heat, bring 3 cups of the milk and the lemon zest to a simmer; remove from the heat and let steep 5 minutes. Strain the milk and return to the skillet.
• Beat the egg whites to soft peaks, then add 1/2 cup of the sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating all the while; continue until stiff glossy peaks form.
• Return the milk to low heat and when steam rises from the surface, drop meringue in by rounded tablespoons. (To keep meringue from sticking, dip the spoon often in hot water).
• Poach the meringues about 2 minutes in the milk, turn and poach the other side 2 minutes. With a slotted spoon, carefully transfer them to a large wet plate and reserve.
• As soon as all meringues are poached, strain the milk into a medium-size heavy saucepan and mix in the remaining sugar. Combine the remaining 1/4 cup milk with the cornstarch, whisk a little of the hot milk into this mixture, then blend into the pan and cook, stirring constantly, over moderately low heat 3 minutes or until slightly thickened.
• Beat the egg yolks lightly, whisk in a little of the hot sauce, stir back into pan and cook, stirring constantly, over low heat 2 to 3 minutes until no raw egg taste remains (do not boil or the mixture may curdle).
• Pour the hot custard into a large shallow heatproof bowl, cool 10 minutes, then float the meringues on top.
• Serve warm or well chilled, dusting the meringues with cinnamon at the last minute.

LEMON MERINGUES

Steps:

• Cover two baking sheets with parchment paper. Preheat oven to 140-175 degrees. Place the egg whites in the bowl of a mixer. With the whisk attachment, whip the egg whites with the salt about 5 minutes or until soft peaks form; the tips will curl. Gradually add the sugar, beating on high until stiff peaks form; the tips will stand straight and sugar will be dissolved. Fold in vanilla and almond extracts. Evenly spread the meringues into 12 circles. Flatten slightly to a diameter of about 3- to 4-inch circles. Place the two baking sheets in the oven for 4 hours. When they are done, remove from the parchment; if the bottoms are sticky in the center, return them to the oven for longer. You want them completely dried out but not browned. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. When completely cool, place in an airtight covered container. Store at room temperature for up to 3 days. Lemon Cream preparation: In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar and potato starch. Whisk in the water, stirring constantly, until the mixture comes to a boil over medium-high heat. Boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat. Stir in lemon juice. In a small bowl, stir the egg yolks with a fork. Add a spoonful of the lemon cream to the eggs. Slowly stir the egg mixture into the lemon cream. Continue to cook for 1 minute. Remove from heat. Cool for 15 minutes. Cover the top of the filling with plastic wrap, making sure it touches the cream or a skin will form. Cool to room temperature or refrigerate overnight or up to 2 days in advance. In a large bowl, with mixer at a high speed, whip the whipping cream. With a rubber spatula, gently fold in 3/4 of the whipped cream into the lemon cream. Reserve rest of whipped cream on top Garnish : melt the chocolate with the margarine. Roll each nut in the chocolate and gently remove with a fork to a sheet of wax paper. Let stand until chocolate is set and shiny (can be put in fridge for 5 min.) Store in airtight container until ready for use.

FRENCH LEMON MERINGUES

Steps:

• Tips for Meringue Success • Make sure your mixing bowl is completely clean and free of any trace of fat. If in doubt, wash and dry it thoroughly. Egg whites will not stiffen if there is fat present. • Use a metal mixing bowl (plastic can appear to be clean, but may still have traces of grease you can't see). • Separate the eggs while they are still cold. • Separate the egg in two smaller bowls, and then add the egg white to the mixing bowl after you are sure you have an egg-yolk-free white. Cover the egg yolks and refrigerate to use for something else (properly stored egg yolks can be safely used several days after they have been separated). • Allow the egg whites to come to room temperature before beating them. This takes about 30 minutes to an hour. • Unless you are in training for the Olympic shot put or just like whisking, use a stand mixer or if you're not equipped with one, a hand mixer works great with this meringue cookies recipe. • This recipe calls for superfine sugar. You can make your own by processing regular sugar in a food processor equipped with the blade. Superfine sugar dissolves more easily in the egg whites to make smooth meringue.
• Preheat oven to 200* Place the egg whites in a metal or glass mixing bowl. Using either a hand mixer or a stand mixer, begin beating the eggs. After several minutes they will start to become foamy. Add the cream of tartar and continue beating until soft peaks form. With the mixer on, gradually (over several minutes) pour in the sugar gradually 1Tbsp at a time. Continue to beat the egg whites until they are stiff and glossy, beat in juice and food coloring. Fold in lemon zest gently. This will take about 10 to 15 minutes.
• Cover a baking sheet sprayed lightly with cooking spray and lightly floured or use parchment paper or wax paper and place regular mounds of meringue with a teaspoon about an inch apart on the paper or use a pastry bag.
• Place in the oven and bake for 1 1/2 hours. Turn off the oven and allow the meringues to continue drying for several hours. Your meringues should easily lift off of the parchment paper. Makes about 2 dozen 2 inch meringues.