Meringue nests
These easy two ingredient meringue nests are so simple even kids can make them. Fill them with cream and fruit to make your own mini pavlovas.
Meringue nests are the perfect make ahead summer dessert. With only two ingredients, this simple recipe is easy enough for kids to do.
You don’t need to stop at the meringue nests though, why not whip up some cream, add some fruit and you’ll have your very own mini pavlovas. They’re a delicious summer dessert that uses up fresh summer fruit perfectly.
How can kids help to make meringue nests?
Meringues are really easy for kids to make. There’s only two ingredients so once you’ve separated the eggs (which is the trickiest part), you just need to whip the egg whites and add the sugar.
Adding the sugar one spoon at a time kept my kids concentrating for longer than I ever though possible!
When you come to make the nests, your kids can have a chance to practice their piping skills. If they find it hard you could draw circles on the baking paper as a guide or help guide their hands.
Can you make meringue nests without a piping bag?
If you don’t have a piping bag or your kids find it too tricky, simply dollop the meringue mixture onto your baking tray. It won’t have the same nest shape but will taste just as good.
If you still want the meringue nest shape but don’t have a piping bag try adding the meringue to a large freezer/zip lock bag. Snip a corner off and pipe the mixture through the hole.
How long do meringue nests keep?
Meringue nests will keep in an airtight container for a week or two. There’s no need to refrigerate them.
You can also freeze the nests for a few months. Slimy pop them in a freezable container. To defrost them, leave them out overnight at room temperature.
Are meringues healthy?
There’s no fat in meringue which makes them healthier than some other cookies. There is a lot of sugar in them however, so I wouldn’t go as far as to call them ‘healthy’.
Why are my meringues chewy?
If too much moisture gets into your meringues they can get a little chewy rather than crispy. The best way to stop this from happening is to let them cool down fully in the oven (don’t be tempted to open the oven door). Leave them for at least a few hours, or even overnight.
Can I scale the recipe up (or down)?
This is a really easy recipe that is really very simple to change the quantities for depending on how many you want to make. These meringue nests or mini pavlovas are a great alternative to big pavlovas when you’re not feeding a large group.
We used three egg whites and 150g sugar to make eight meringue nests. You can scale it up or down, simply add or remove 50g of sugar for every egg white.
Other meringue recipes
If you liked these meringue nests you might also like these other easy meringue desserts:
Summer berry pavlova
Raspberry eton mess
Meringue kisses
Chocolate pavlova
Useful equipment
You might need the following baking tools/gadgets to make these meringue nests
Digital scales
Freestanding mixer
Mixing bowl
Hand held mixer
Measuring cups
Piping bag
Baking tray
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Difficulty: Easy
Time: 20 minutes + 1hr+ baking
Serves: 8
Ingredients
3 eggs
150g caster sugar
For the filling
300ml (1 1/4 cup) double cream
Fruit
Icing sugar to taste
how to make meringue nests
Preheat your oven to 120C / 100C Fan and prepare a baking tray
Get your toddler to help line a baking tray with greaseproof paper.
Whisk the egg whites
Start by making sure your bowl and whisk beaters are clean and dry. (Any extra grease or fat will stop air getting into the egg whites.
Separate your eggs, putting the whites into your bowl. You can do this by cracking the egg and keeping the yolk in one half while letting the white fall into a small bowl. Tip the yolk into the other half to get more white out if you need to. Alternatively crack the egg, hold the yolk gently in your hand and let the yolk fall through your fingers.
If your kids are very young you might want to do this yourself as the whites won’t go fluffy if they have yolk in them.
Beat the egg whites until they are as white and fluffy as they can get. Do it on a high speed for at least 3 or 4 minutes.
Add the sugar
Get your child to weigh the sugar into another bowl.
Keep whisking your egg whites and start adding the sugar one teaspoon at a time. Once it is all in, keep beating it for another minute to make sure it is mixed well. You should end up with stiff peaks and be able to turn the bowl upside down once its ready.
Add the meringue to a piping bag fitted with a large star nozzle and add a small clip at the top to stop the meringue coming out the top. Get your kids to help pipe a dot of meringue on your baking paper then go round it in a spiral until you have a circle about 7cm wide.
Once you’ve made the base of the meringue, go around the side a few times to build up the walls of the nest.
Bake the meringues nests
Pop your meringues in the oven and bake for about an hour. Check on them from time to time and turn your oven down if they are starting to brown.
Turn the oven off but leave the meringues in while it cools down.
To serve, whip some cream adding some icing sugar to taste. Dollop on top of a mini pavlova and add the fruit on top.
Meringue nests
Ingredients
- 3 eggs
- 150 g caster sugar
For the filling
- 300 ml double cream
- Fruit
- Icing sugar to taste
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 120C / 100C Fan and line a baking tray with greaseproof paper.
Whisk the egg whites
- Separate your eggs, putting the whites into your bowl. You can do this by cracking the egg and keeping the yolk in one half while letting the white fall into a small bowl. Tip the yolk into the other half to get more white out if you need to. Alternatively crack the egg, hold the yolk gently in your hand and let the yolk fall through your fingers.
- Beat the egg whites until they are as white and fluffy as they can get. Do it on a high speed for at least 3 or 4 minutes.
Add the sugar
- Weigh the sugar into another bowl.
- Keep whisking your egg whites and start adding the sugar one teaspoon at a time. Once it is all in, keep beating it for another minute to make sure it is mixed well. You should end up with stiff peaks and be able to turn the bowl upside down once its ready.
- Pipe the meringue onto your baking tray, starting with a spiral at the bottom then adding a few layers at the edge to make the side of your nests.
- Pop your meringues in the oven and bake for about an hour. Check on them from time to time and turn your oven down if they are starting to brown.
- Turn the oven off but leave the meringues in while it cools down.
- To serve, whip some cream adding some icing sugar to taste. Dollop on top of a meringue and add the fruit on top.
Notes
Pin meringue nests for later
Similar recipes
If you liked this meringue nest recipe you’ll love our summer berry pavlova, and meringue kisses, as well as our delicious desserts for kids.
Lockdown, had fun making these. Thank you.