These Individual Lemon Curd Meringues are an elegant dessert and so simple to make. With a delicious combination of flavours and textures, they are guaranteed crowd pleasers. The sweet meringues are crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, with a topping of silky smooth whipped cream which is complemented by tangy Lemon Curd. A smattering of fresh blueberries completes this delicious dessert. So good!
Thanks for the great recipe. These turned out perfect!
- Marie
Why You'll Love This Recipe:
- It is a great way to use leftover egg whites.
- The meringues contain just two ingredients: egg whites and sugar.
- This make-ahead dessert is perfect for entertaining as you can prepare all the components in advance.
- It is extremely versatile. Vary the toppings to suit your taste, you are only limited by your imagination. For instance, you may also love our Individual Strawberry Meringues where we use a very easily made Strawberry Sauce.
- An individual dessert is a great help when entertaining, saving you the time of portioning a larger meringue.
- They are naturally gluten-free and nut-free.
- You can easily alter the quantities, doubling them if you need to.
Recipe Inspiration: we love an easily made, delicious dessert and meringues lend themselves to countless variations. For instance, our Mini Meringues with Berries and Cream are ideal for morning teas or finger food parties.
Ingredients and Substitutions:
Please see the recipe card further along in the post for exact quantities of ingredients and the full method.
- Egg whites - we use the whites from large eggs.
- Caster/superfine sugar - dissolves more readily than regular granulated sugar.
- Heavy whipping/thickened cream - has a minimum 35% milk fat.
- Vanilla extract - naturally extracted from the bean, not artificially flavoured.
- Blueberries - fresh blueberries for topping the meringues.
- Lemon curd - I use my Homemade Lemon Curd, but you can use a commercial variety if you prefer.
Variations:
Fruit: use fruit of your choice, such as different berries, kiwi fruit or passionfruit. Or, you could shave some chocolate over the meringues.
Other toppings: try the combination of whipped cream and Nutella, topped with chopped hazelnuts. Or, make a banoffee meringue; fill the cases with ready-made caramel, sliced banana and whipped cream. So good!
How To Make Lemon Curd Meringue Nests:
Please see the recipe card further along in the post for exact quantities of ingredients and the full method.
1 - Start whipping the egg whites:
Separate three eggs and save the egg yolks for another use. We have some suggestions below.
Place the egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer or use a bowl and hand-held electric beaters. Beat on low speed until soft peaks form.
2 - Slowly add the sugar:
Gradually add the sugar, about a tablespoon at a time, and beat constantly until the sugar dissolves, the mixture is thick and glossy, and the meringue has stiff peaks.
3 - The egg whites beaten to stiff peaks:
The desired consistency of the meringue.
4 - Drawing out circles to shape the meringues:
As a guide, I like to use a small plate or cookie cutter to draw circles onto my baking paper. Flip the paper over once this is done.
5 - Spooning the mixture onto the tray:
Spoon the meringue mixture onto the prepared tray in six mounds. Use the back of a spoon to smooth the mixture, leaving a little indent in the middle of the nest.
Bake for 45 minutes or until the shells are crisp. Turn the oven off and leave the meringues to cool in the oven. Once cool, store the meringues in an airtight container until you are ready to serve.
6 - Whipping the cream:
Whip the cream and vanilla in a clean bowl using hand-held electric beaters, until the cream has soft peaks.
Top meringues with cream, lemon curd and blueberries.
Hint: you can use a piping bag and nozzle to make the meringue cases if you prefer. I have chosen the freeform route as it is quicker, easier, and there's less to clean. And I quite like the simplicity of shaping them with just the back of a spoon.
Tips for Success, Storage and FAQs:
Although the egg whites and yolks are easier to separate when the eggs are chilled, the whites will achieve greater volume if they are at room temperature for about 20 minutes before being whisked.
They both contain egg whites and sugar. However, a meringue is dried in the oven until it is crisp. On the other hand, a pavlova is also a meringue but with the addition of corn flour/corn starch and some vinegar. Cooked at a higher temperature, it is crisp on the outside and marshmallow-like on the inside.
The shells should feel crisp and lift cleanly off the baking paper.
You can make the meringues a day or two ahead. If properly dried when baked, and kept in a perfectly dry, airtight container, in a cool, dry, and dark location, the meringues will last up to 2 weeks.
Top Tip:
Don't throw out your leftover egg yolks! Use them to make Lemon or Blood Orange Curd or Vanilla Ice Cream.
One of the most important tips for successful meringues is that the equipment you use must be scrupulously clean, dry, and grease-free. Even the slightest smudge of oil on the bowl, or smattering of egg yolk in the whites, will stop the eggs from properly whisking.
Serving Suggestions:
This recipe is as simple as it is stunning, and you will find many ways to serve the meringues.
- As they are easily made, they will be a popular addition to weeknight family meals. They are also sufficiently elegant to be served when entertaining.
- A fun idea is to consider a meringue bar at your next party. Serve them with a bowl of whipped cream, a variety of sauces and a platter of fresh fruit. Your guests can customise the meringues to suit their taste.
- They are portable, so suitable for picnics, potlucks or barbecues. If transporting them, lay them in a large container and cover them well. Pack whipped cream and toppings of your choice separately and assemble at the party.
The wow factor of these Individual Lemon Curd Meringues completely outweighs the ease with which they are made. Sweet, crunchy, slightly tangy and deliciously creamy; they are guaranteed crowd pleasers. I hope you enjoy making (and eating!) this delicious dessert. Do let us know in the comments below when you try it!
Alex xx
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Individual Lemon Curd Meringues
Please note:
For accuracy, when weights are provided, we recommend weighing your ingredients. This will produce the best results. All oven temperatures listed are for fan forced.
Ingredients
- 3 large egg whites - at room temperature See Note 1
- 175 g (¾ cup) caster/superfine sugar
- 360 ml (1 ½ cups) heavy whipping/thickened cream See Note 2
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 300 g (1 ½ cups) fresh blueberries
- 6 tablespoon lemon curd See Notes 3 and 4
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 120 Degrees C (250F).Line 2 baking trays with baking paper. As a guide for the meringue, I use a small, upturned saucer or cookie cutter - 10 cm (4 inches) in diameter. With a pencil, draw an outline on the baking paper and then turn the baking paper over and place it on the trays.
- Separate three eggs. Save the egg yolks for another use.Place the egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer or use a bowl and hand-held electric beaters. Ensure that the bowl and beaters are free from grease. Beat on low speed until soft peaks form.
- Gradually add the sugar, about a tablespoon at a time, increasing the speed of the beaters. Beat constantly until the sugar dissolves, the mixture is thick and glossy and the meringue has stiff peaks. To check if the sugar has dissolved, rub a small amount of meringue between your thumb and a finger to check if it's gritty or smooth. If it's gritty, try beating for a little longer.
- Spoon the meringue mixture onto the prepared tray in six mounds, using the circles you drew as a guide. Use the back of a spoon to smooth it out to the edge of the circle and then make an indent in the centre. Alternatively, you can use a piping bag and nozzle to make elegant meringue cases if you prefer.
- Bake for 45 minutes or until crisp.Turn the oven off. Leave the meringues to cool in the oven.Once cool, store the meringues in an airtight container until you are ready to serve.
- Whip the cream and vanilla in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Or, use hand-held electric beaters, whip until the cream has soft peaks.Top meringues with cream, lemon curd and blueberries.
Notes
- Egg whites: eggs are easier to separate when chilled, but then I like to bring the egg whites to room temperature for greater volume.
Ensure your hands and the bowls you are using are clean and free of any traces of oil/grease. The method I use to separate eggs is to crack the egg and separate using the shell. This method allows you to retain the yolk in the shell and have the white drip into your bowl. If you prefer, you can separate the eggs carefully by holding the yolk in your hand and letting the white drip through your fingers. I recommend separating them into a small bowl one at a time, and then transferring to the bigger bowl for whipping. That way, if you do allow some yolk to get in, you can just get a fresh bowl and start again, rather than getting to egg number three, only to ruin the whole batch! - Cream: use cream that contains approximately 35% milk fat.
- Lemon curd: I have used my my homemade Classic Lemon Curd in this recipe.
- Tablespoon: we use a standard Australian tablespoon which is 20 ml (4 teaspoons).
- Storage: if kept in a perfectly dry, airtight container, and stored in a cool, dry, and dark location, the meringues will last up to 2 weeks.
- Freezing: the meringue nests can be frozen for up to three months. Freeze the meringues on a tray in a single layer before transferring them to an airtight container. Separate the layers with non-stick baking paper. Allow them to defrost at room temperature.
- Serving: assemble the meringues close to serving time as the moisture from the Lemon Curd and cream will quickly cause them to become soft.
- Humidity: if possible, it is best to avoid making meringues on humid or rainy days as moisture and meringues are not great friends. Sugar is hygroscopic, which means that it absorbs water from the surrounding air. Any moisture in the air may prevent them from drying completely and will cause them to become sticky and chewy rather than crisp.
Nutrition Estimate:
Nutritional Disclaimer:
The nutritional information is an estimate only, and is derived from online calculators. For accurate results, we recommend calculating the nutritional information based on the ingredients and brands you use.
Marie says
Thanks for the great recipe. These turned out perfect!
Alexandra Cook says
Thank you, Marie!
Alex xo
Robyn says
These look wonderful! I love the fact that you can use the egg whites to make the meringues and then the yolks for the lemon curd, meaning you don't have to search for ways to use them up!
Alexandra says
Thank you Robyn, this is a lovely recipe. It is a great way of using both the egg yolks and the whites. 🙂
Irina says
These meringues are really cute! I made them tonight. The only thing I changed is that I used a store-bought lemon curd. Well, I was kind of lazy to make the homemade one. Next time:)
Alexandra says
Thank you for the great feedback Irina, I am delighted to hear that you enjoyed the dessert. I completely understand about the store-bought lemon curd; we all need to take the easy path sometimes. 🙂