Last time I baked meringue, I lived in another town, almost 8 years ago (oh boy! I’m getting old! T__T)! =O Well, made the small ones because I wanted more than one filling, :) And since I bought “Le Cordon Bleu Dessert Techniques (Le Cordon Bleu)“, driving me crazy all those amazing dishes! heheh

The filling was simple: chantilly for everyone, but the fruits change (kiwi, star fruit, chocolate chips and almond flakes) and orange chantilly with sliced orange for topping.

Difficult level: easy, but the meringue can be tricky.

Ingredients
Meringue
(Source: Chef Simon)

• 2 egg whites in room temperature
• 125g sugar (refined sugar or caster)
• 1 pitch cream of tartar or few drops lemon juice

Filling

• 200mL cream (double cream or whipping cream, must have +30% fat)
• Sugar (+/ 2 tbsp.)
• Orange jam (for the orange chantilly, optional)
• Citric-sour fruits in the season

Utensils: stand or fouet, piping bag, tip star medium, sheet pan, parchment paper or silpat.

Pre-heat the oven 300ºF/150ºC, cover the sheet pan with parchment paper or silpat.

Beat egg whites with cream of tartar until soft peaks. Keep beating, add half sugar let incorporate, then add the other part. Continue beating until the mixture become shiny and firm peaks. Put onto the piping bag.

Well, piping the nest can be very tricky… if you’re like me, I mean: without pastry skills, heheh. Just make a circle, but don’t forget it’s a nest. So, the middle is empty! You can make in 2 steps: 1) the base; 2) the border. 2-3cm distance between each nest.

Let’s bake! =D For 30-40 minutes at 300ºF/150ºC until soft golden. If your oven is like mine, the lower temperature is 350ºF/180ºC, so I keep the door half open with wood spoon. And yes, the kitchen was warm.

Filling: fruits already washed, peeled (if necessary) and sliced, right? Beat the cream until whipped! hehehe If you want the orange cream, divide in two. One part for the normal sweet chantilly, and other the orange cream. For that, add about 2 tbsp. orange jam and mix well.

Everything ready? Nest, cream and fruit? Right! Now, just assemble: fill the nest with cream and topping with fruits. That’s it! Serve cold.

Tips: sour/citric fruits combine much better with the fat-y cream. :)

Ideas

Orange Eton Mess Shot

Take a look:

• What?? Nothing… so sad.

For many years I’m wondering make this recipe, but always I postponed. Because thought it was difficult, fatt-y, my oven doesn’t work well… etc. So, finally I did! Yay! :) And it’s easy, fun and very delicious. If you’re affraid, my advice is: make it! It’s so fun! :D Few minutes later, all the soft dough became “puffy”, like magic!

I took the Roberta Sudbrack’s recipe (she is a famous chef in Brazil). If I gonna make at least the recipe must be who knows about it, right? :D

Difficulty level: easy, easy!

Ingredients
1 cup = 200mL

• 1 cup water xícara de água
• 1 cup flour xícara de farinha de trigo peneirada
• ½ cup unsalted butter (I used 110g culinary margarine)
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. sugar
• 4 eggs

Utensils: large pan, spoon, sheet pan, piping bag, tip, parchment paper or silpat.

Heat water and butter, until boil. Add flour, sugar and salt. Turn off the heat. Beat the mixture very well to incorporate the flour. Return the pan to the heat. Keep stirring until the paste doesn’t stick on the pan (about 2-3 minutes). Remove the heat.

Let the mixture rest and cool down for a little, 5 minutes. Pre-heat the oven 400ºF/200ºC for 10 minutes, at least. Cover the sheet pan with parchment paper or silpat.

Add eggs, one at the time. Making sure the first egg is completely incorporated before continuing. After, the mixture wil be shiny-golden, :)

Put the mixture onto the piping bag… and make the shape you want! The classic éclair, mini-éclair,… :D But don’t make differents shapes in the same sheet pan.

Put in the oven and turn up to 435ºF/230ºC for 5 minutes. Turn down 400ºF/200ºC for 15-20 minutes until golden brown. So, pierce the bottom with a paring knife to release steam. Turn down the oven 350ºF/180ºC for 10 minutes to dry.

You can fill with anything you want. Cream, chantilly, ganache, mousse… the possibilities are endless. :)

Take a look:

• Passion Fruit Opéra Cake