Pistachio Meringues Recipes

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.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Arrange two racks evenly spaced in the oven.
• Line a sheet pan with parchment paper and spread the sugar so it's a perfectly even thickness on the paper right to the edge of the sugar, leaving a border on the paper so the sugar doesn't spill onto the pan. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until the edges start to brown lightly. Watch carefully! Lower the oven to 250 degrees 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 the egg whites on high speed for one minute, until frothy. With the mixer on low, slowly add the hot sugar to the egg whites. (I use a large spoon at first, 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 egg whites are room temperature. (The bowl may still be warm.) The meringue will be very thick and glossy.
• Using two large serving spoons, scoop 6 very large, messy oval dollops of meringue onto each of two sheet pans lined with parchment paper, spacing them out because they will expand while they bake. Sprinkle the pistachios on top and bake for 1 1/2 to 2 hours (make sure your oven isn't above 250 degrees!), until the outsides of the meringues are crisp but not browned and the centers are still soft. Sprinkle with fleur de sel and set aside to cool.

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.)

Steps:

• FOR PRALINE:
• Oil large baking sheet. Stir sugar and water in heavy small saucepan over medium-low heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat and boil without stirring until syrup turns deep amber, brushing down sides of pan with wet pastry brush and swirling pan occasionally. Stir in pistachios. Immediately pour mixture onto prepared sheet. Cool praline completely.
• Finely chop praline. Grind 1/2 cup praline to powder in processor.
• FOR MERINGUES:
• Position 1 rack in center and 1 rack in top third of oven. Preheat oven to 225°F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment. Draw two 8-inch-diameter circles on 1 parchment sheet and 1 circle on second. Turn over parchment on baking sheets, marked side down. Using electric mixer, beat 5 egg whites and cream of tartar in large bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually add 1/2 cup sugar; beat until egg whites are stiff but not dry. Beat in almond extract. Stir powdered sugar and 1/2 cup praline powder in bowl to blend. Fold into meringue in 2 additions.
• Divide meringue among traced circles. Using spatula, spread mixture to edges. Bake until crisp and pale golden, reversing baking sheets after 45 minutes, about 1 hour and 45 minutes. Cool meringues completely.
• FOR LEMON BUTTERCREAM:
• Stir white chocolate in top of double boiler set over simmering water until melted. Remove from over water; cool.
• Using electric mixer, beat egg whites and cream of tartar in large bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in 2 tablespoons sugar.
• Meanwhile, combine remaining 2/3 cup sugar, 3 tablespoons water and corn syrup in heavy small saucepan. Stir over medium-low heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat and boil without stirring until candy thermometer registers 238°F., brushing down sides of pan with wet pastry brush and swirling pan occasionally, about 5 minutes.
• Immediately pour hot syrup in thin steady stream into beaten egg whites, beating until mixture is completely cool, about 4 minutes. Beat in butter 2 tablespoons at a time. Beat in white chocolate, lemon juice, peel and vanilla. Chill until thickened to spreadable consistency, about 45 minutes or less (If frosting looks curdled, place bowl over saucepan of simmering water and whisk just until butter softens slightly. Remove from heat. Using electric mixer, beat buttercream until smooth. Repeat warming technique as necessary to create smooth buttercream.)
• Place 1 meringue layer on platter. Spread scant 1 cup buttercream evenly over. Top with another meringue layer. Spread scant 1 cup buttercream evenly over top and sides of torte. Press chopped praline onto sides and in 1-inch border along top edge of torte. Chill overnight. Let torte stand at room temperature 30 minutes before serving.

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.

Steps:

• Scoop gelato into four dessert dishes. Top each with a cookie and drizzle with chocolate syrup. Sprinkle with pistachios.

Steps:

• Halve larger plums and stone them, and leave smaller ones whole. Put into a saucepan with 2 tbsp sugar and 1 tbsp cornflour. On the heat, stir for 1-2 mins until the cornflour disappears into the plum juices, then stir in 100ml water and the jam or conserve. Cover and simmer for 10-20 mins until the plums are tender and the sauce syrupy - splash in some more water if it looks a little dry. Scrape the pan contents into a large, shallow baking dish.
• Heat oven to 140C/120C fan/gas 1. Whisk the egg whites in a clean mixing bowl until stiff. Whisk in the 200g sugar in 3 batches, beating the whites back to stiff between each addition. Whisk in remaining cornflour and vanilla and keep going until you have a lovely shiny, stiff mixture.
• Scoop 6 large spoonfuls of the meringue on top of the plums, scatter with pistachios, then bake for 30-40 mins until the meringues are crisp on top but still pale, and soft underneath. Eat warm or at room temperature, with cold crème anglaise or cold custard for pouring over.

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.

Steps:

• Make the cake:
• Preheat oven to 325°F. Lightly brush a 9-inch springform pan with oil and line bottom with a round of parchment paper. Brush parchment with oil and set pan aside.
• In a food processor, pulse pistachios with 1/4 cup sugar until finely ground (avoid overgrinding); set aside.
• In two large bowls, separate the 6 eggs into yolks and whites, reserving the sixth egg white for another use. Add 1/4 cup sugar, vanilla, salt, and cardamom to bowl with egg yolks and beat using an electric mixer until thick and pale yellow, about 2 minutes. Set egg yolk mixture aside and thoroughly clean and dry the beaters.
• Add a pinch of salt to the bowl with the egg whites and beat using an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in remaining 1/4 cup sugar, and continue beating until stiff peaks form.
• Add half of the whipped egg whites and all of the ground pistachios to the egg yolk mixture and fold until combined. Add the remaining egg whites and fold until batter is just combined. Pour batter into prepared pan and smooth top with a rubber spatula. Bake until beginning to brown and just barely set, 20-25 minutes.
• Meanwhile, make the meringue topping:
• In a food processor, process the strawberries into a fine powder. Set aside 1 Tbsp. of the powder for decorating the cake, and pour the remaining powder into a medium bowl. Whisk in the almond flour and the potato starch.
• In a large bowl using an electric mixer, beat 5 egg whites and vinegar until soft peaks form, then gradually beat in the sugar and continue to whip until meringue is stiff and glossy and all the sugar has dissolved, 7-8 minutes. Gently fold almond mixture into meringue until just combined.
• Remove cake from oven. Using an offset spatula or table knife, spread meringue mixture evenly over hot cake, starting from the outside and working your way into the center. Return cake to oven and bake until meringue is lightly browned and crisp, 25-30 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack to cool, and immediately run a knife around the edge of the cake to loosen it from the pan. Release and remove the side of the springform pan. Let cake cool at least 30 minutes before decorating.
• Decorate the cake:
• Place the reserved strawberry powder in a fine-mesh sieve and dust over cake as desired.
• Do Ahead
• Cake can be made up to one day before serving: cool to room temperature, loosely cover with plastic wrap, and store at room temperature.