Meringue Nests
Crispy nests of meringue—also known as vacherins—add a certain savoir faire and offer a very dramatic presentation for any ice cream or sorbet, especially when you add a ladleful of sauce as well. The combination of crackly meringue, luscious ice cream, and a complimentary sauce is justifiably known as one of the great French dessert classics. It is certain to become a well-loved part of your repertoire as well. Use a deft hand when folding in the confectioners’ sugar. Aggressive overmixing can cause the meringue to start deflating.
Recipe information
Yield
makes 8 meringue nests
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 200°F (100°C).
Step 2
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
Step 3
In the bowl of an electric stand mixer, begin whipping the egg whites with the salt at medium speed until frothy.
Step 4
Increase the speed of the mixer to medium-high and whip until the egg whites thicken and begin to hold their shape. Continue whipping the whites while adding the granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time. Once the sugar’s been added, add the vanilla and continue to whip for 2 minutes, until stiff and glossy.
Step 5
Remove the mixer bowl from the stand and sift the confectioners’ sugar over the meringue while simultaneously folding it in.
Step 6
Divide the meringue into 8 portions, evenly spaced, on the baking sheet. (They’ll all fit if you arrange 3 down each side lengthwise and 2 in the center.)
Step 7
Take a spoon, dip it in water, tap off the excess, and make a hollow in the center of each meringue, like mashed potatoes in preparation for gravy.
Step 8
Bake the meringues for 1 hour. Turn the oven off and continue to let the meringues dry out in the oven for 1 hour more.
Step 9
The meringues are done when they feel dry and lift easily off the parchment paper or silicone baking mat.
Variations
Step 10
Meringue nests lend themselves to many variations. Here are some of my favorites. Simply fold the additional ingredients into the meringue after adding in the confectioners’ sugar.
Step 11
Cinnamon: 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
Step 12
Coconut: 1/2 cup (40 g) dried shredded coconut, toasted
Step 13
Cocoa Nib: 6 tablespoons (60 g) cocoa nibs
Step 14
Coffee: 1 tablespoon best-quality instant coffee (crush the crystals into a fine powder with the back of a spoon first) or espresso powder
Step 15
Chocolate: 3 tablespoons (21 g) unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
Step 16
Chocolate Chip: 1/2 cup (80 g) semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chips (regular or mini)
Step 17
Chocolate–Chocolate Chip: 3 tablespoons (21 g) unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder and 1/3 cup (60 g) semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chips (regular or mini)
Step 18
Green Tea and Black Sesame: 1 1/2 teaspoons matcha (green tea powder) and 2 tablespoons black sesame seeds
Step 19
For Almond Meringue Nests: Replace the vanilla with 1/4 teaspoon almond extract, and press 2 tablespoons sliced almonds into the top of each meringue before baking.
Storage
Step 20
Once cool, store the meringues in an absolutely airtight container until ready to serve. They can be made 1 week in advance.