Meringue Wreaths

Meringue wreaths are an elegant and light dessert, perfect for rounding off a special meal or to accompany tea or coffee in the afternoon. Here is the recipe for making delicious meringue wreaths.

Ingredients

• 4 egg whites
• 250 g of icing sugar
• 1 pinch of salt
• 1 teaspoon of lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract (optional)

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 90 °C (194 °F) and prepare a baking tray by lining it with parchment paper.
2. Ensure that the bowl you will use to whip the egg whites is absolutely clean and dry.
3. Begin to whip the egg whites with an electric mixer at medium-high speed, adding a pinch of salt. When they start to foam, gradually add the icing sugar, one tablespoon at a time, without stopping whipping.
4. Once all the sugar has been incorporated and the meringue is glossy and forms stiff peaks, add the lemon juice and the vanilla extract, if using.
5. Load the meringue into a piping bag fitted with a star nozzle.
6. On a baking tray lined with parchment paper, form wreaths by making a spiral of meringue starting from the center and widening outwards.
7. Bake the wreaths for about 1-2 hours at 90 °C or until they are dry to the touch and easily peel off the parchment paper.
8. Allow them to cool completely in the turned-off oven with the door slightly open to prevent moisture absorption.

The meringue wreaths keep perfectly in an airtight container for several days.

Curiosity

Meringue has very ancient origins and is associated with various countries, but the version we know today was developed in France in the 17th century. Precision in preparation and patience in allowing it to dry in the oven are key to obtaining the perfect meringue: crisp on the outside and slightly soft on the inside.