Mini Meringues with Berries and Cream

Name: Mini Meringues with Berries and Cream
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 130 min
Ingredients: 2 large egg whites - at room temperature (See Note 1); 115 g (1/2 cup) caster/superfine sugar (See Note 2); 250 ml (1 cup) heavy whipping/thickened cream (See Note 3); 250 g (9 oz) berries - I used strawberries and blueberries

For the full recipe including quantities and method, click the "jump to recipe" button, or scroll through and read our helpful tips along the way.

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These Mini Meringues with Berries and Cream are a guaranteed crowd-pleaser. The melt-in-the-mouth Meringue Nests are filled with whipped cream and topped with fresh berries. The sweet crunch of the meringue contrasts with the smooth whipped cream and the sweet tang of the berry. They are tantalisingly irresistible!

Mini meringue nests, with some cream and fresh berries, sitting on a tray.

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Why you’ll love this recipe:
Ingredients in this recipe:
How to Make Mini Meringues:
Tips for success and FAQs:
Variations and substitutions:
Serving suggestions:
More delicious recipes for you to try:
Mini Meringues with Berries and Cream

Why you’ll love this recipe:

My Mini Meringue Nests are perfect for entertaining as you can make them ahead of time, have your toppings prepared, and assemble them shortly before serving.

They are ideal finger food at a party as they don’t need a plate or cutlery.

You will love the Mini Meringue Nests because:

They contain just 4 simple ingredients and are very easy to make.
It is a great way to make use of leftover egg whites.
You can set out a colourful variety of Meringue Nests on one platter simply by using different toppings.
They can be prepared up to 2 days ahead of time and stored in an airtight container in a cool, dry location to fill shortly before serving.

Ingredients in this recipe:

Please see the recipe card further along in the post for exact quantities of ingredients and the full method.

Egg whites – I use the whites from large, free-range eggs. Save the yolks to make custard or Blood Orange Curd.

Caster/superfine sugar – dissolves more readily than regular granulated sugar.

Whipping/thickened cream – we use heavy whipping/thickened cream, which contains a minimum of 35% milk fat.

Berries – the Mini Meringues are topped with fresh strawberries and blueberries. However, you can use other berries or the fruit of your choice.

How to Make Mini Meringues:

Please see the recipe card further along in the post for exact quantities of ingredients and the full method.

Steps 1-2 of preparing this recipe - separating the eggs and beating the egg whites in a glass bowl.

1 – Separate the yolks and whites:
Separate the egg yolks and whites and reserve the yolks for another use.

2 – Whip the egg whites:
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.

Steps 3-4 of preparing this recipe - adding the sugar to the egg whites and the beaten mixture.

3 – Gradually add the sugar:
Gradually add the sugar, increasing the speed of the beaters.

4 – Beat until stiff peaks form:
Beat constantly until the sugar dissolves, the mixture is thick and glossy, and the meringue has stiff peaks.

Steps 5-6 of preparing this recipe - piping the meringue nests and beating the cream for the filling.

5 – Pipe the meringues:
Spoon the meringue into a piping bag fitted with a small star nozzle.

Pipe the meringue onto a prepared baking tray in a small circle. Continue piping and build the meringues to 3 layers high.

6 – Make the whipped cream:
To make the filling, whip the cream in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, or use hand-held electric beaters. Whip until the cream has firm peaks and is strong enough to hold its shape.

Spoon some cream into each meringue case and decorate with the berries or fruit of your choice.

Overhead shot of mini meringue nests filled with cream and berries.

Tips for success and FAQs:

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. If a speck of yolk should fall in when separating the egg, the best way to get it out is with an empty eggshell.

What is the difference between a meringue and a pavlova?

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 crisp on the outside and marshmallow-like on the inside.

Do egg whites whip better when cold?

It is easier to separate the whites and yolks when the eggs are chilled. However, the whites will achieve greater volume if they are at room temperature for about 20 minutes before being whisked.

Does the weather affect meringues?

Yes, it does. It is best to make meringues on a dry day as they do not like humidity. Sugar is hygroscopic, which means that it will absorb moisture from the air, making it difficult to whip the whites to stiff peaks. In very humid conditions you are likely to find it difficult to successfully bake a meringue as the baked meringues may weep and become soft.

How long can I store them?

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. I prefer to store them in a large glass jar with a tight-fitting lid.

Can I freeze the mini meringues?

Yes, 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 the,m to defrost at room temperature.

Variations and substitutions:

You can easily customise the Mini Meringue Nests according to your taste or what you have on hand. You are only limited by your imagination.

Suggested variations:

– Use raspberries, mixed berries or kiwi fruit with the cream.
– Lemon Curd combined with cream is also delicious.
– Or make a banoffee meringue; fill the cases with ready-made caramel, sliced banana and cream.
– For decorations on the filled nests, you could use mint leaves, pretty, edible flowers or chocolate shavings.

Hand picking up a meringue, filled cream and topped with a blueberry and piece of strawberry.

Serving suggestions:

The Mini Meringue Nests are extremely versatile. They are sufficiently elegant to serve for a morning tea, but simple enough to serve the family on a weeknight. As well, they will be a hit at picnics or potlucks and are ideal for the Festive Season.

They are perfect for entertaining as you can make the meringues ahead of time. You can fill them yourself or take the easy and fun way:

Set up a Meringue grazing board with an attractive assortment of fruit and some whipped cream;
Some of our Classic Lemon Curd or Strawberry Sauce;
Chocolate shavings.
You are only limited by your imagination as to what to include.

Say goodbye to store-bought meringue nests with this simple, easily made recipe. The melt-in-the-mouth bite-size desserts are quickly and easily made and are a guaranteed crowd-pleaser. I do hope that you will try these Mini Meringue Nests filled with berries and cream. Your friends and family will thank you for it. Please let me know in the comments below if you do.

Alex xx

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