Desserts Recipes - Coffee Meringues Recipe

Ingredients

Serves 6

• 2 egg whites

• 125 g/4 oz caster sugar

• 1 tablespoon instant coffee powder

• 300 ml/1/2 pint double cream

• 2 tablespoons Tia Maria or other coffee-flavored liqueur

• pistachios or almonds, to decorate

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Method:

1. Line 2 baking sheets with nonstick paper or baking parchment. Draw six 7.5 cm/3 inch circles and six 5 cm/2 inch circles on the paper with a pencil.

2. Whisk the egg whites until stiff, then whisk in the sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time. Add the coffee powder and continue whisking until the meringue is very stiff and holds its shape.

3. Spoon into a piping bag fitted with a 1 cm/1/2 inch plain nozzle and pipe within the circles to form meringue disks.

4. Bake in a preheated oven, 110°C (225°F), Gas Mark 1/4, for 1 1/2 hours until crisp. Peel the paper carefully off the meringues, then cool on a wire rack.

5. Whip the cream and liqueur together in a bowl until stiff. Spoon into a piping bag fitted with a large fluted nozzle and pipe three-quarters of the cream on to the larger meringue circles.

6. Top with the small circles, then pipe a whirl of cream on each one. Toast the pistachios or almonds in a dry frying pan, stirring continuously until they turn a golden brown.

7. Allow to cool slightly, then use to decorate the meringues. Serve the meringues with the remaining cream.