Orange Surprise Meringues Recipes

LIGHTEST EVER MERINGUES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 140C/120C fan/gas 1. Line 2 baking sheets with baking parchment and set up a piping bag with a medium-size star nozzle.
• In a clean bowl, whisk the egg whites until very stiff - the whites should stand in stiff, not floppy, peaks when the beaters are lifted out. Once you have reached this point, pour in roughly half the sugar and the vanilla extract and whisk again until the mixture becomes very thick, firm and shiny. Add the remaining sugar and whisk again until thick, firm and shiny. If you like meringues with soft, mallowy centres, just add 1 tsp cornflour and 1 tsp white wine vinegar to the mix along with the sugar.
• Carefully spoon the meringue into the piping bag. Push any air out of the top and tightly twist the end of the piping bag to seal. Gently squeeze until meringue is visible at the end of the nozzle, then begin piping onto your lined baking sheets. Pipe spiralling circles, about 6cm wide and 3 layers high - like you would ice a cupcake to make roughly 18. The meringues will spread slightly as they cook, so leave enough space between each one. Bake in the oven for 1 hr, turning the heat down to 120C/100C fan/gas ½ after 30 mins.
• Remove from the oven - they should peel easily away from the parchment - and cool on a wire rack. Can be made up to a week ahead and kept in an airtight container, or frozen for up to 3 months, between layers of parchment, in an airtight container.
• To make Cream & chocolate meringues for dessert, put 100g dark chocolate in a glass bowl and melt over a pan of gently simmering water. Carefully dip the base of each meringue in to coat, then place on their sides on a plate or tray to set. While the chocolate sets, whip 300ml double cream. Assemble the meringues in pairs and sandwich their chocolate bases together with a good spoonful of cream. Delicious served with ice cream, raspberry coulis or fresh berries.

ORANGE MERINGUE CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 24 muffin cups with paper liners.
• Put the flour, baking powder and salt into the bowl of a food processor. Add the sugar and orange zest and pulse a few times to combine evenly. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture looks like coarse sand, with some pea-size bits of butter.
• Whisk together the milk, vanilla and eggs in a small bowl or measuring cup with a spout. With the food processor running, pour in the milk mixture and process until smooth.
• Divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups, filling them two-thirds full. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cupcakes comes out clean and the tops spring back when pressed gently, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool the cupcakes in the pans on a rack for 10 minutes, then remove and cool completely.
• Bring a few inches of water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Whisk together the egg whites, sugar, orange juice and zest, cream of tartar and salt in a medium heat-safe bowl. Set the bowl over the saucepan, making sure the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water. Continue whisking until the mixture is hot to the touch and the sugar dissolves, about 2 minutes. Remove the bowl from the saucepan and beat, using an electric mixer at medium-high speed, until the meringue is cool and holds a stiff peak, about 7 minutes.
• Generously pipe or spoon the frosting onto the cupcakes. Sprinkle with orange zest.

BLOOD ORANGE BUTTERSCOTCH MERINGUE PIE

Steps:

• Prepare the crust: On a lightly floured surface, and using a lightly floured rolling pin, roll pie dough into a 12-inch circle, about 1/8-inch thick. Transfer to a 9-inch pie pan (not deep dish); fold the edges over and crimp them together. Prick crust all over with a fork and chill in freezer for 30 minutes until frozen. (Cover with plastic if freezing for longer than a few hours. Well wrapped, it will last in the freezer for up to a month.)
• Heat oven to 425 degrees. Line chilled crust with foil, fill with pie weights or dried rice, then bake for 12 minutes. Remove foil, lower oven temperature to 350 degrees, and bake until pale golden, 10 to 16 minutes longer. Transfer to a rack to cool while you prepare the filling. (Leave the oven on if baking the pie immediately.)
• In a heavy saucepan, whisk together egg yolks, egg and sugar. Stir in the orange and lemon juices, zest and salt. Add pieces of butter and cook, whisking constantly, over medium-low heat until the mixture thickens enough to coat a spoon, about 7 to 9 minutes. An instant-read thermometer should register 180 degrees. Inspect the filling: If you think there are any coagulated bits of egg, strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl.
• Pour filling into pie crust and return to the oven to bake until filling is set (it should jiggle only slightly in the center), about 18 to 40 minutes. (Pies prepared in glass and ceramic dishes can take much longer to bake than those prepared in metal dishes. Don't give up: The curd will eventually set.) Remove pie from oven and increase oven temperature to 400 degrees for baking the meringue.
• As the filling bakes, make the meringue: Fill a medium pot with 1 inch of water and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Using a large metal bowl, whisk together egg whites, sugar, cream of tartar and salt. Set the bowl with the egg white mixture into the pot above the water, and whisk constantly by hand until sugar dissolves and mixture is warm (160 degrees on an instant thermometer) and has thickened and lightened in color, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove bowl from heat.
• Using an electric mixer, beat on medium-low speed and gradually increase speed to high, until mixture is thick, fluffy and stiff peaks form, about 5 to 8 minutes. Be careful not to overbeat.
• Spread the meringue over the hot filling, making sure it meets the edges of the crust. Using a knife or spatula, swirl in a design if you like, and bake until lightly browned, about 8 to 12 minutes.
• Allow to cool completely and top with more orange zest before serving.

ORANGE MERINGUE PIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (205 degrees C). Line pastry with aluminum foil and a layer of pie weights or dried beans. Bake in the preheated oven until edge of crust is golden, about 10 minutes. Carefully remove the foil and weights; bake about 5 minutes more.
• In a small saucepan, stir together the 3/4 cup sugar, 1/3 cup cornstarch, and salt. Mix in the orange juice, lemon juice, and water. Whisk in the egg yolks. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until thick and bubbly, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in butter and orange zest. If desired; stir in diced orange segments. Pour into prepared pie crust, cover with plastic wrap, and set aside to cool.
• When pie filling has cooled to room temperature, preheat oven and prepare meringue. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). In a large glass or metal bowl, beat egg whites until foamy. Gradually add 1/2 cup sugar and cream of tartar, continuing to beat until stiff peaks form. Lift your beater or whisk straight up: the egg whites should form a sharp peak that holds its shape. Spread over pie, making sure the meringue completely covers the filling and meets the edges of the pie crust.
• Bake in preheated oven until meringue topping is golden brown, about 15 minutes.

ORANGE MERINGUE COOKIES

Steps:

• 1. Preheat oven to 250 degrees and line your baking sheets with parchment paper.
• 2. Add the egg whites, orange extract, cream of tartar and salt to the clean bowl of a stand mixer. Beat on low until egg whites turn white and frothy. Turn the mixer to high and add the sugar very slowly; one tablespoon at a time. Keep adding sugar slowly. Beat until meringue forms stiff glossy peaks. The meringue should feel smooth when rubbed between your thumb and index finger. This can take anywhere from 7-10 minutes.
• 3. Attach a large piping tip to a disposable piping bag. Add about 1/3 cup of meringue to piping bag. Drizzle 1/8 teaspoon orange food coloring down one side of the piping bag. Carefully fill the piping bag with meringue trying not to disrupt the food coloring. Pipe the meringue in small cookies about 2 1/2 inches wide. Cook at 250 degrees for 35 minutes and shut off the oven. Leave them in there for 2-3 hours. Store in airtight containers.

ORANGE MERINGUES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 475F degrees.
• Cover 2 baking sheets with foil.
• Beat egg whites until foamy.
• Add salt and cream of tartar.
• Mix the orange gelatin and sugar together, then add the mixture to the egg whites gradually, a tablespoon at a time, while beating.
• Beat to stiff peaks.
• Carefully fold in the chocolate chips and nuts, if desired.
• Drop batter by teaspoonfuls onto the prepared baking sheets.
• Place the baking sheets into the hot oven quickly, then close the oven door, and turn the oven off.
• Leave the cookies in the oven overnight (8 hours).
• Store in an airtight container.

SURPRISE MERINGUES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 225°F. Line 2 large baking sheets with foil; spray foil with no stick cooking spray.
• Beat egg whites in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until frothy. Add cream of tartar; beat until soft peaks form. Increase speed to medium-high. Add sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until sugar is dissolved and stiff peaks form. Beat in extracts until well blended. Gently stir in chocolate chips.
• Drop by rounded measuring teaspoons 1 inch apart onto prepared baking sheets.
• Bake both sheets of meringues at the same time for 45 minutes. Turn oven off. Let meringues stand in oven 1 hour or until completely cooled.

BLOOD ORANGE SORBET SURPRISE

Steps:

• To make the sorbet, in a small saucepan, warm 1/2 cup (125 ml) of the orange juice and the 2/3 cup (130 g) sugar, stirring until the sugar completely dissolves. Pour the mixture into a medium bowl and add the remaining orange juice and the orange-flavored liqueur. Cover and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled.
• Using a spoon, scrape out the membranes and any remnants of pulp from 8 of the most attractive juiced orange halves. Slice a small disk off the bottom of each half so it sits upright without wobbling.
• Freeze the sorbet mixture in an ice cream machine according to the manufacturer's instructions.
• To serve, spoon the just-churned sorbet into the orange halves, filling each to about 1/2 inch (1.5 cm) from the top. Place the filled orange halves on a baking sheet and freeze until firm.
• Preheat the oven to 450°F (230°C).
• To make the meringue, in a stand mixer fitted with the whip attachment (or in a bowl by hand), whisk the egg whites on low speed until frothy. Increase the speed to high and continue whisking until the whites just begin to hold their shape. Gradually sprinkle in the 1/2 cup (100 g) sugar and whisk until the whites are stiff and shiny. Whisk in the vanilla.
• Spoon the meringue onto the sorbet-filled orange halves, dividing it evenly, and bake until the meringue is nicely browned, about 5 minutes. Serve right away.
• Storage
• Before baking, the meringue-topped oranges can be kept in the freezer for up to 8 hours.
• Variation
• You can make this dessert using tangerines or regular oranges instead.

SURPRISE MERINGUES

Steps:

• In a mixing bowl beat egg whites and cream of tarter until soft peaks form.
• Gradually add sugar, salt and vanilla, beating until stiff peaks form and sugar is dissolved, about 5-8 minutes.
• Fold in the chocolate chips and nuts.
• Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto greased baking sheets.
• Bake at 300° for 30 minutes or until light brown.
• Cool on baking sheets.