Salted 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:

• 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:

• Preheat oven to 200 degrees with racks in upper and lower thirds. Rub nuts in a towel to remove skins. Coarsely chop nuts; transfer to a sieve, and shake over a paper towel (if desired, reserve dust for garnish); set aside. Draw three 8-inch rounds on parchment paper; place, marked sides down, on 2 baking sheets.
• Stir together nuts and confectioners' sugar in a small bowl; set aside.
• Put egg whites, granulated sugar, salt, and cream of tartar in the heatproof bowl of an electric mixer; set bowl over a pan of simmering water. Whisk until sugar is dissolved and whites are warm to the touch, about 3 minutes. Transfer bowl to electric mixer fitted with the whisk. Beat on medium speed, increasing to high when soft peaks form; continue until stiff, glossy peaks form.
• Gently fold pistachio mixture into egg-white mixture. Spread one-third of the meringue onto each parchment circle (do not smooth tops).
• Bake meringues 1 hour. Switch positions of sheets; reduce temperature to 175 degrees. Bake, switching positions of sheets after 45 minutes, until meringues are dry and crisp and can be lifted easily from parchment, 1 to 2 hours. Turn off oven; let meringues cool in oven 45 minutes. Remove, and let cool completely on sheets.
• Process 2/3 cup raspberries in a food processor until pureed. Pass through a fine sieve into a bowl; discard seeds. (Puree can be refrigerated up to 1 day.) Beat pastry cream until smooth; set aside. Beat chilled 1/2 cup heavy cream with electric mixer until soft peaks form. Gently fold into pastry cream; set aside.
• Set aside a few berries for garnish. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Put one meringue on sheet; spread half of pastry cream on top. Spoon 4 1/2 teaspoons puree in a spiral over pastry cream; swirl with a knife. Top with another meringue. Scatter remaining 1 1/3 cups berries over meringue; spread remaining pastry cream on top, leaving a 1 1/2-inch border. Spoon remaining puree in a spiral over pastry cream; swirl with a knife. Top with last meringue; gently press to spread filling to edges. Freeze until filling is solid but not completely frozen, 2 to 3 hours.
• Beat remaining heavy cream with electric mixer until soft peaks form. Top dacquoise with whipped cream; garnish with reserved berries, and pistachio dust if desired. Use a serrated knife to cut into wedges; wipe blade clean between cuts.

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:

• 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:

• 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.