Pistachio Meringue Sundaes Recipes

SALTED PISTACHIO MERINGUES

Steps:

• Arrange two racks evenly spaced in oven. Preheat oven to 400°F.
• Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Spread the sugar so it's an even thickness on the paper, leaving a border on the paper so the sugar doesn't spill onto the pan. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until the edges start to brown lightly. (Watch carefully.) Remove pan and lower oven temperature to 250°F.
• Meanwhile, place the egg whites in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Just before the sugar is ready, whisk egg whites on high speed for a minute or until frothy. With the mixer on low, slowly add the hot sugar to the egg whites. (Ina says, "I use a large spoon at first, then pick up the paper and pour the sugar in slowly.") Add the vanilla extract and continue to whisk on high 10 minutes or until the egg whites are room temperature. (The bowl may still be warm.) The meringue will be very thick and glossy.
• Line two sheet pans with parchment paper. Using two large serving spoons, scoop six very large, messy oval dollops of meringue onto each prepared pan, spacing them out because they will expand while they bake. Sprinkle the pistachios on top. (Make sure your oven isn't above 250°F.) Bake 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until the outsides of the meringues are crisp but not browned (the centers will still be soft). Sprinkle with fleur de sel and cool. Makes 12 meringues.

PISTACHIO-CHOCOLATE MERINGUES

Steps:

• Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven; preheat to 350˚. Spread 3/4 cup pistachios on a baking sheet and bake on the lower oven rack until toasted, about 8 minutes. Let cool completely, then pulse in a food processor until finely chopped.
• Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Spread the granulated sugar on one of the prepared pans and bake on the lower oven rack until very hot but not melting, about 10 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 225˚.
• Meanwhile, combine the egg whites, cream of tartar and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. About 30 seconds before the sugar comes out of the oven, beat the egg whites on medium speed until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in the hot sugar, about 1 tablespoon at a time, using the parchment paper as a funnel. Increase the mixer speed to high and beat, scraping down the bowl as needed, until stiff peaks form, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the vanilla and beat until the meringue is fluffy, about 30 seconds.
• Reline the baking sheet that you used for the sugar with parchment paper. Gently fold the chopped pistachios and chocolate into the meringue with a rubber spatula until just combined. Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a 1/2-inch round tip. Pipe the meringue into 1 3/4-inch-wide mounds (about 1 1/2 inches tall) about 1 inch apart onto the prepared pans. Very finely chop the remaining 2 tablespoons pistachios, then sprinkle on the meringues.
• Bake, switching the pans halfway through, until the meringues are firm to the touch and lift easily off the parchment, 40 to 50 minutes. Turn off the oven and let the meringues sit in the oven for 10 minutes, then remove the meringues to racks to cool completely.

PISTACHIO MERINGUES WITH MANGO & MANDARIN ICE CREAM

Steps:

• You can make the ice cream up to a month ahead. First, cut the skin from the mango with a sharp knife, cut the flesh from the stone and chop very finely. Whisk the cream, Cointreau, icing sugar, mandarin zest and juice together until it holds its shape. Fold in the mango. Tip the mixture into a rigid container and freeze for 3 hours until softly frozen, stirring once after 1½ hours.
• Meanwhile make the meringues. Preheat the oven to 120C/gas ½/fan 100C. Line 2 large baking sheets with baking parchment and draw 16 x 6cm circles, spaced well apart, on the sheets. (Use a jar lid measuring 6 cm across as a template.)
• Whisk the egg whites with a pinch of salt until stiff. Add half the caster sugar and whisk until glossy. Add the remaining sugar a tablespoon at a time while whisking. Fold in the nuts with a large metal spoon.
• Spoon the meringue on to the paper circles and spread to make even rounds. Bake for 1 hour, switching the trays round after 30 minutes. The meringues are ready when firm and sound hollow if tapped. Cool on the trays then peel off the paper.
• When the meringues are cool and the ice cream is softly frozen, sandwich the meringues together in pairs using the ice cream. Put them into a container in a single layer and freeze, along with the leftover ice cream.
• To serve, remove from the freezer and scatter with the extra chopped nuts. Serve on plates and eat with forks.

PISTACHIO SUNDAE

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, whip heavy cream and vanilla-bean seeds until soft peaks form.
• Place 2 scoops pistachio ice cream in each of four dishes. Pour 1/4 cup strawberry sauce over each sundae, and top each with a dollop of whipped vanilla cream. Sprinkle with chopped pistachios, and serve.

PISTACHIO MERINGUES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 225°F. Line 2 large baking sheets with aluminum foil; butter and flour foil. Mix chopped pistachios and 1/2 cup powdered sugar in small bowl to blend. Beat egg whites and 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar in medium bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually add 2/3 cup sugar, beating until whites are stiff but not dry. Fold nut mixture into egg whites. Drop meringue onto prepared sheets by rounded tablespoonfuls, spacing 1 inch apart and spreading to form 2 1/2-inch rounds.
• Bake meringues until dry and almost crisp but not yet colored, about 45 minutes. Cool meringues on baking sheets. (Can be prepared 1 week ahead. Wrap airtight in foil and freeze.)

LEMON CURD-PISTACHIO SUNDAES

Steps:

• Make the lemon curd: Cook egg yolks, sugar, and lemon juice and zest in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, whisking constantly, until bubbling in center, about 6 minutes. Remove from heat, and whisk in butter, a few tablespoons at a time.
• Immediately pass through a fine sieve into a bowl. Place plastic wrap directly on surface of curd to prevent skin from forming. Let cool; refrigerate at least 2 hours and up to 3 days.
• Make the pistachios: Coat a rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray. Bring sugar and water to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. Cook until a candy thermometer registers 238 degrees, about 6 minutes. Add nuts and salt, then cook, stirring, until sugar crystallizes, about 1 1/2 minutes. Pour mixture onto baking sheet, and let cool 30 minutes. Roughly chop nuts. Nuts can be stored up to 1 week.
• To serve: Scoop ice cream into dishes. Top with curd and whipped cream, then sprinkle with nuts.

PISTACHIO MERINGUES WITH SUMMER BERRIES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 140C/fan 120C/gas 1. Line a baking tray with baking parchment. Place the pistachio nuts into a shallow roasting tin and toast in the oven for about 7-10 mins until golden. Place in a food processor and blitz until coarsely ground.
• Blend the cornflour and vinegar to a paste. In a large clean bowl, whisk the egg whites until they form soft peaks, then gradually add the sugar a tbsp at a time until it forms a stiff glossy mixture.
• Fold most of the pistachios into the meringue, reserving about 2 tbsp. Finally stir through the cornflour mixture. Spoon the mixture onto the baking tray to make four large meringue nests, using the back of the spoon to hollow out the centres. Sprinkle with the reserved pistachios and bake for about 45 mins until firm and crisp on the outside. Turn off the oven, but leave the meringues in to dry out in the warmth until completely cold.
• To serve, place a meringue on each plate and spoon a little crème fraîche into the middle. Sprinkle over the seasonal berries and serve.