Strawberry Meringue Clouds Recipes

MERINGUE CLOUDS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Arrange two oven racks evenly in the oven.
• Line a sheet pan with parchment paper and spread the sugar in an even layer on the paper. (Leave a small border of paper around the sugar so the sugar doesn't spill onto the pan.) Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until the sugar is hot (an edge will begin to brown). Reduce the oven temperature to 250 degrees F.
• Meanwhile, place the egg whites in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. When the sugar is almost ready, whisk the egg whites on high speed for 1 minute, until the whites are frothy. With the mixer still on high, slowly add the hot sugar to the egg whites. (I use a large spoon to start and then pick up the paper and pour the sugar in slowly.) Add the vanilla and continue to whisk on high for 10 minutes, until the meringue is at room temperature. It will be very thick and glossy.
• Using two large serving spoons, scoop 12 very large oval dollops of meringue onto two sheet pans lined with parchment paper. You should be able to get 6 meringues on each pan; space them well because they will expand while they bake. Place 3 candied rose petals on top of each meringue. Bake for 2 hours, until the outsides of the meringues are crisp and the centers are still soft. Set aside to cool on baking racks. Allow to sit uncovered and serve at room temperature. (Don't refrigerate or store covered or they will lose their crispness.)

STRAWBERRY-RHUBARB MERINGUE CLOUDS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 225°F. Grease 2 cookie sheets with shortening or cooking spray. In large bowl, beat egg whites and cream of tartar with electric mixer on medium speed until soft peaks form. On high speed, gradually beat in 1/2 cup sugar until stiff glossy peaks form and sugar is almost dissolved. Spoon meringue into 8 (4- to 5-inch) rounds on cookie sheets, hollowing center slightly with back of spoon to form shells.
• Bake 1 hour. DO NOT OPEN OVEN. Turn oven off; let meringue shells stand in oven with door closed 1 hour.
• Meanwhile, in 2-quart saucepan, mix all filling ingredients except strawberries. Cook over medium-low heat 15 to 20 minutes, stirring frequently, until filling is slightly thickened and rhubarb is soft. Stir in strawberries. Cool completely, about 1 hour.
• Spoon about 1/4 cup filling into each meringue shell. Store filling in refrigerator.

CLOUD EGGS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment and coat with nonstick cooking spray.
• Coat 4 small bowls with nonstick cooking spray. Separate the eggs and put the whites into a medium bowl and the yolks in the small bowls (1 yolk per bowl). Add a large pinch of salt to the egg whites and beat with an electric mixer on low speed until stiff peaks form, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Dollop 4 large spoonfuls of the egg whites onto the prepared baking sheet and make a small well in the middle of each with the back of a spoon. Bake the whites until they are firm, no longer wet and just beginning to turn brown, about 6 minutes. Gently pour 1 yolk into the well of each white. Bake until the edges of the yolk just start to set while still being runny, 3 to 4 minutes. Season with salt.
• Serve on top of buttered brioche toast.

CLOUD MERINGUES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 120C/100C fan/gas 1. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Using a pencil, draw 6-8 clouds on each piece of parchment measuring about 10cm across by 8cm in height. Use a template as the left half of the cloud needs to be a mirror image of the right (or they won't match when they are sandwiched together). Then, turn the parchment over so the pencil marks don't come into contact with the meringue.
• Whisk the egg whites until stiff, then gradually whisk in the sugar, a tablespoon at a time, until stiff and glossy. Add in the black food colouring to make a light grey.
• Place the meringue mix in a large piping bag and pipe over the templates. Bake for 20 mins then reduce the heat to 100C/80C fan/gas ¼ and cook for a further hour or until completely dry. Leave to cool thoroughly in the oven.
• To create the storm cloud lollies, pipe stiff royal icing on the meringue, just around the edge, then add a little more to secure the stick. Fill the inside of the piped area with coloured sprinkles of your choice. Add the lolly stick to the cloud, over the icing, then sandwich the other meringue over the top to enclose the sprinkles and the top of the lolly stick. Leave to dry completely for about 3 hours or overnight.

STRAWBERRY CLOUDS

Steps:

• Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 190°F.
• Beat whites with a pinch of salt in a bowl using an electric mixer at medium-high speed until they just hold soft peaks. Reduce mixer speed to medium and add 3/4 cup sugar, a little at a time, beating, then continue to beat until whites hold stiff glossy peaks.
• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spoon a small dollop of meringue on each corner of parchment, then invert parchment to secure to baking sheet. Using a serving spoon, form meringue into 6 mounds about 2 inches apart on parchment. Using a soupspoon, lightly press down and swirl center of each meringue to spread out slightly, into a 3 1/2- to 4-inch round, and create a 1 1/2- to 2-inch-wide indentation in center.
• Bake meringues until dry but still white, about 2 hours, then cool meringues in turned-off oven (with door closed) 1 hour. (Meringues will be crisp on outside and slightly soft in center.) Cool meringues completely on baking sheet on a rack.
• While meringues cool, bring 5 tablespoons sugar, 1/4 cup water, and 1/4 teaspoon cardamom to a boil in a small heavy saucepan, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Pour cardamom syrup over strawberries in a heatproof bowl and stir gently to combine.
• Just before serving, beat cream with 1 tablespoon sugar and 1/4 teaspoon cardamom in a clean bowl using clean beaters until it just holds stiff peaks.
• Peel meringues from parchment and put on 6 plates, then spoon about 1/4 cup berries with syrup into each indentation. Spoon whipped cream over berries and top with another 1/4 cup berries with syrup. Serve strawberry clouds immediately.

GLUTEN-FREE STRAWBERRY RHUBARB MERINGUE CLOUDS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 225°F. Grease 2 cookie sheets with shortening or cooking spray. In large bowl, beat egg whites and cream of tartar with electric mixer on medium speed until soft peaks form. On high speed, gradually beat in 1/2 cup sugar until stiff glossy peaks form and sugar is almost dissolved. Spoon meringue into 8 (4- to 5-inch) rounds on cookie sheets, hollowing center slightly with back of spoon to form shells.
• Bake 1 hour. DO NOT OPEN OVEN. Turn oven off; let meringue shells stand in oven with door closed 1 hour.
• Meanwhile, in 2-quart saucepan, mix all filling ingredients except strawberries. Cook over medium-low heat 15 to 20 minutes, stirring frequently, until filling is slightly thickened and rhubarb is soft. Stir in strawberries. Cool completely, about 1 hour.
• Spoon about 1/4 cup filling into each meringue shell. Store filling in refrigerator.