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I even thought about telling you that I made these lovely French Meringues because they were "French" and that's what a blog with the name The Café Sucré Farine should be posting for Valentine's Day. That would be the proper thing to do, right? The truth of the matter was, I was totally out of butter!
I wanted to make a few Valentine treats to take to my son and daughter-in-law. We were invited for dinner on Sunday evening, so I got up early that morning to get started before church. I wasn't sure what I wanted to make, so I thought I'd check first to see what ingredients I had to work with. I was super shocked to discover that there was NO butter! I usually keep a good supply of basic pantry supplies, but somehow, the butter had dwindled down to nothing unnoticed.
What was I to do? How could I make yummy Valentine's treats with NO butter? Being too lazy to run to the market (only 3 blocks away), I put on my thinking cap and checked out other ingredients that were available; sugar, flour, eggs, chocolate, citrus fruits, fresh strawberries, whipping cream and lots of condiments, like mustards, vinegars and in the freezer, a bunch of jars of Strawberry Jam.
I set to work - I whipped up the meringues and while they baked, I made the ganache and got ready for church. I let the meringues sit in the oven to cool till we returned home around lunch time. After that it was simply a matter of throwing the ganache into a zip lock bag, piping a dollop onto half of the meringues and giving each one a pretty top. The result -Oh my! I think you're going to love these melt-in-your-mouth treats. But be sure to make plenty, they'll go like hot cakes!
- For the meringues
- 4 egg whites
- 2 ¼ cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- For the ganache
- 3 tablespoons heavy cream
- 3 tablespoons strained strawberry jam
- 4 ounces semisweet chocolate finely chopped
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Preheat oven to 150˚F*. Line two sheet pans with parchment paper (love this parchment paper from Costo. It lasts FOREVER!). With a pen, trace around a small round object (I used the top of a spice container, about 2-inches in diameter). Repeat tracing circles, leaving 1-inch in between, till parchment paper is filled. (I put about 18 on each sheet.) Repeat with second sheet pan. Set aside.
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Place egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat until light and foamy.
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With mixer on low speed, add vanilla then, very slowly, add powdered sugar. Once all sugar has been added, set speed at medium and beat for 20 minutes. Mixture will be very thin at first, but will get quite thick, smooth and satiny.
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At this point you can either spoon the egg white mixture in mounds onto prepared cookie sheets or spoon mixture into a decorating bag (super cheap per bag!!) or a gallon size zippered bag fitted with a 2D Wilton tip (also called a drop petal tip) If using a zippered bag simply snip a tiny cut off one corner. Place 2D tip into bag and slip into corner opening then fill bag with egg mixture.
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To pipe meringues: start in center of one circle and swirl outward in a circular motion till circle is filled with meringue. Repeat till all circles are filled. For a great video tutorial on how to do this type of swirling, check this out.
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Bake for 2 hours or until meringues are crisp. Turn oven off and leave meringues in oven till completely cool. Remove from oven when cool .
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For the ganache and the final step for the meringues. While meringues are baking, prepare ganache; place jam and cream in a medium size microwave safe bowl. Cook on high for 1 minute**. Add the chocolate chips and allow to heat for 3 minutes. Whisk until mixture is smooth. Refrigerate for 45 minutes to an hour to thicken ganache***.
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Remove from refrigerator and whip the ganache for 5 minutes or until it's light, fluffy and color lightens slightly. Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a small round tip. (For "multi-colored effect see tip**** below.) Pipe (or spoon) a quarter size (or larger, if you want a thicker filling) onto half of the cookies Top with remaining cookies and compress gently till filling spreads to edges. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to set ganache.
Notes:
* ~ If your oven temperature doesn't run this low, set it for the lowest temperature and prop the door open slightly with a wooden spoon while baking.
** ~ If you don't have a microwave, place jam and cream in a small saucepan. Heat until tiny bubbles are just starting to rise to the surface. Turn off heat, add chocolate chips and allow to sit for 3 minutes, then stir with a whisk until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth.
*** ~ If ganache becomes too thick in refrigerator (meaning it becomes a solid mass and won't come out of the bowl), microwave it for about 10 seconds to soften slightly before mixing.
**** ~ You can add a few drops of pink food coloring to meringues or, for the swirled or striped effect you see in the photos, paint a few thin strips of gel food coloring on the inside of your decorating bag, starting at the tip end and painting about halfway up the bag.
Lydia says
How long do just the meringues keep please? And can they be kept in an airtight container on the worktop?
Chris Scheuer says
They will keep well on the worktop for several days, they also freeze very nicely.
Brenda says
I see this is a very old post but I just saw it. I have to say that these are the most beautiful cookies I have ever seen!!! I am going to try them for sure. Thank you so much for sharing.
Shelley says
I'm not sure what I did wrong but I left it to mix for 20 minutes and when I piped them it was not thick enough or something because it lost its shape and went into a blob. Maybe next time I should put it at an even higher speed?
Chris Scheuer says
Hmmm, not sure. Egg whites can be a bit tricky. Sometimes on a humid day they won't whip up properly or if there's even a trace of grease in you bowl. Not sure if either of those things pertain...
Ellen says
Love the recipe! Can't wait to try.
Quick question - do you use the whisk or paddle attachment for your mixer? I would think whisk but you don't specify.
Chris Scheuer says
I use the whisk attachment. Enjoy!
Ani says
These are beautiful! I really would like to make them, but I was wondering how to make the two color effect? What kind of color did you use (gel, powder)?
Thank you!
Chris Scheuer says
I used a bit of gel food coloring and painted a few stripes on the inside of the pastry bag.
Veda says
Chris, I am planning on making these for a wedding in a couple of weeks. I need to make 400 of them so do you think I should freeze them or just keep them in an airtight container and fill them the day before?
I am trying to find space to store them in. Also I want to fill them with either a lemon curd or a Italian meringue lemon butter cream. Or do you have another suggestion? And if I freeze them would I be able to put the filling in between them before freezing them?
I have already made 400 homemade Oreo cookies because that is the groom's favorite cookie. And I will be making 400 salted caramel cupcakes which I will be making the day before the wedding.
I have also made 1000 mints and just discovered that I will need to make 1000 more. So any suggestions or help you can give me with the meringues is greatly appreciated.
I love your site and your recipes. Everything I have made from your site has been wonderful. Thank you in advance. Veda
Lynn says
Can these French meringues be frozen. Need to make them two weeks ahead
Chris Scheuer says
Yes, they can definitely be frozen. They come out great.
Cathy at Wives with Knives says
I believe your beautiful meringues went like hotcakes, Chris. They are so pretty and were a perfect Valentine's Day treat. I would love to make these cookies but will have to work on my piping skills first. I love Monique's idea of icing a cake with those lovely roses.
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Monique, I have a feeling that yours will be just beautiful. It takes a little practice but you'll find they're not hard. One thing that helps me as I make them is kind of silly but it works - I talk to myself out loud with each one, the same thing, like "round and then round again and then once more" or something like that. It helps me to make them a consistent shape otherwise I'm all over the place with shapes. I hope that makes a bit of sense. Thanks for letting me know - I know whatever you do for your daughter's birthday will be sensational 🙂 ps - I wish we were neighbors! We'd have so much fun!
La Table De Nana says
Hi Chris..Monique again..
Just wanted to say thank you..
Mine don't look like yours..my first time at a swirl like that..I bought the 2D in case I didn't have one..we were just leaving when I thought of it..glad I did ..cause I didn't have that exact one..and I want to try and ice the top of my daughetrs bday cake with those roses..not being adept at cake decorating..I thought..well..maybe..so I see it can be done..:)
Your instructions are so thorough.. so professional..
My oven door is cracked open w/ a wooden spoon(175 is my lowest.
My Wilton Rose Petal is not the color I imagined for my swirl..but it's a trial..
Don't even know how they will turn out but wanted to say thanks for all the inspiration on your posts etc..
Happy Sunday~
Karen @ Sugartown Sweets says
So beautiful! I found these on Pinterest and I'm so glad I did. These are just lovely. 🙂
- spoonstories- says
meringues- flower so great ! Have a nice week Chris!
Denise Browning@From Brazil To You says
One of the most beautiful treats that I have ever seen, Chris! Wow and wow!!!!!!!!!!!
Anonymous says
how do u get the rose/swirl shape?
Chris Scheuer says
Hi there, check out steps 4 and 5. There's also a great tutorial here:http://cakejournal.com/tutorials/how-to-make-rose-meringues/
Kim - Liv Life says
Wow Chris!! I was perusing Pinterest and a shot of your beautiful Meringues leaped right off the page. I clicked on the pic and look where it took me!! Truly, truly beautiful! Liv was just walking by and has demanded that these beauties occur during summer break!
adriane says
About how many cookies does this make? 18?
The Café Sucré Farine says
Hi Adriane, it does make about 18, it depends on the size, of course.
Marija says
These are beautiful! Could you tell me if they could be made the day ahead? I'm not sure if the meringues would lose their "crispiness"...
The Café Sucré Farine says
Marija, they can definitely be made ahead, they keep for several days just fine. I was a little sad the next day after I gave them to my son and daughter in law, wishing I still had a few :). But I checked with them and they said they were great for several days afterwards. Hope you enjoy them!