Meringues can be filled with various fillings, such as fresh strawberries and whipped cream.
Ingredients
- 150 ml egg whites (from 4 medium-sized eggs)
- 220 g sugar
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon white wine vinegar or rice vinegar
- Zest of 2 oranges (only the outer orange part)
Custard Cream:
- Half a packet of custard, prepared with half the amount of milk (250 ml) + 3 tablespoons sugar
- 250 g mascarpone cheese
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
Caramelized Oranges:
- 2 fresh oranges (flesh only)
- 4 tablespoons orange jam
- 1 tablespoon honey
Preparation
- Preheat the oven to 120°C (without convection). Prepare a baking tray lined with parchment paper.
- In a mixing bowl, pour in the egg whites and beat into a foam, not necessarily perfectly stiff. Gradually add sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, continuously and thoroughly mixing after each addition. Do not reduce the amount of sugar, as the meringue may not turn out well. The mixture should end up very stiff, dense, and glossy. Beat for an additional 3 minutes to stabilize the meringue. Finally, add cornstarch and vinegar, and beat for another minute. Gently fold in the orange zest with a spoon or spatula.
- Spoon the meringue mixture onto the parchment paper to form 12 disks. Flatten half of the disks slightly (for the base), about 8 cm in diameter, and shape the other half more fancifully, about 7 cm in diameter.
- Place in the oven and bake for 25 minutes at 120°C. Then, reduce the temperature to 100°C and bake for another 45 minutes. After this time, the meringues will be crispy on the outside, with a soft, marshmallow-like center. Meringues can be baked 1-2 days in advance.
- Fill the meringues with custard cream and caramelized oranges or other desired fillings.
Serving Suggestion
Custard Cream: Prepare half a packet of custard with half the amount of milk (250 ml) according to the package instructions, adding 3 tablespoons of sugar. Let the custard cool. Mix the cold custard with mascarpone cheese and orange juice until just combined. Refrigerate until ready to fill the meringues.
Caramelized Oranges: Peel and cut the oranges into pieces. Place them in a saucepan with orange jam and honey. Stir and cook for about 2 minutes until a thick syrup forms and the oranges soften (the syrup will start to crystallize and bubble more vigorously around the edges of the pan). Remove from heat and let cool.
