Large Meringue Recipe (Meringue Géante)

Enjoy this large meringue recipe to make a mouthwatering egg white dessert (à la unshaped Pavlova) decorated with whipped cream, raspberries, and pistachios. With its active, hands-on time of 20 minutes and up to ten servings, the recipe is a keeper!

Looking for a simple, amazingly yummy, and delicious dessert? Do you want to impress your guests that everyone will not be able to resist tasting it sooner?

Add this egg white dessert recipe to your collection now. And I will tell you why.

The giant meringue (meringue géante in French) is made with a classic French meringue placed on a baking sheet without special shaping.

Is not it what you are looking for? The baking imperfection is trending now. Yes, the same as some trends are in the fashion world.

Moreover, this big meringue recipe is the best answer when you wonder about what to do with leftover egg whites.

Yes, you can make Plum Pavlova or Fresh Fig And Cinnamon Pavlova, French Financiers, or fancy Pistachio Financiers.

Still, if you have seven egg whites as extras on hand, the giant meringue is what you will love to make.

It is one of the simplest egg whites desserts ever: no shaping, no special decorating skills are required!

What is a French meringue?

French meringue (meringue française in French) is the easiest and the most relaxed way to make the meringue. It requires beating raw egg whites with sugar until stiff peaks.

How to make the perfect meringue

Although French meringue is simple to make, there are some mistakes to avoid. Here are some tips for success:

Use old eggs that produce fluffier and higher meringues. Read about how to decode an egg carton.

Bring eggs to room temperature at least 30 minutes before you start, but is it advisable to separate egg whites from egg yolks while eggs are still chilled.

If you are short on time, place refrigerated eggs in a bowl of warm tap water for a few minutes to warm them up.

Make sure egg whites are free of any traces of egg yolk.

To get the highest volume of the meringue, use clean equipment: a metal or glass bowl and beaters.

Add sugar to egg whites gradually: either in three equal portions or one tablespoon at a time.

Make the meringue on a dry day. Try to avoid humid or rainy days since the meringue tends to absorb moisture.

How to decorate a large meringue

Experiment with this meringue dessert recipe and bring your creativity up to decorate the meringue. Sometimes it is called to customize or personalize the dessert.

Make a cream based on whipping cream and mascarpone as the recipe below, or simply whisk the only whipping cream.

Leave the cream unsweetened, or add one tablespoon of powdered (icing) sugar if you desire.

Keep the cream plain or flavor it with a few drops of rose water, orange flower water, or almond extract.

Instead of these flavorings, add 1 /2 teaspoon of vanilla extract if you prefer.

Place the cream in a pastry bag with your favorite tip and pipe the cream on top of the dessert in the way you desire.

Do you not have a piping tip? Just spoon the cream on top of the meringue.

As for fresh red fruits, use one type of fruit or their combination. The giant meringue cracks during baking; it is typical for such a size of the meringue dessert. Arrange fresh fruit along cracks and around the dessert.

Making the raspberry sauce is optional. If you make it, serve it aside. Pour the sauce over slices of the dessert.

Why you should try this recipe

1. This giant meringue recipe is so simple to make that even a beginner-baker will succeed!
2. It takes 20 minutes of your hands-on time. The rest, which is two hours, is the baking time; so, feel free to cook other meals while your oven will take care of the meringue.
3. This egg white dessert resembles Pavlova cake but does not require shaping!
4. Decorate the meringue in the way you desire: pipe the whipped cream or spoon it on top of the dessert, arrange any fresh fruit and sprinkle with nuts.
5. Naturally, the meringue dessert is gluten-free.
6. It is the perfect dessert for an entertaining party serving up to ten people.
7. It is fun to share the meringue with your guests: either slice it or dig into the dessert.

Ingredients

Here is a quick overview of what ingredients you will need. Follow the full recipe below for exact amounts and instructions. I recommend making the recipe as written for the best results.

Egg whites: take chilled eggs out of the fridge, separate egg yolks from egg whites, and let egg whites warm up at room temperature for up to one hour.

Granulated sugar: process sugar in a food processor for a few seconds to get superfine sugar. It will help to whisk the meringue.

Icing sugar: make it yourself by using a coffee grinder or use store-bought powdered sugar.

Flaked almonds: use store-bought flaked toasted nuts or toast almonds in the oven at 300 F/150 C for 7-10 minutes.

Raspberries: use fresh raspberries to decorate the giant meringue. Replace them with fresh blackberries; add blueberries or strawberries if you prefer.

Whipping cream: whisk cold whipping cream in a chilled metal bowl (keep the container in the freezer until making the cream).

Pistachios: the recipe calls for whole toasted unsalted pistachios. Chop nuts if you desire.

Lemon juice: use the fresh-squeezed juice or a store-bought one.

Mascarpone: no need to bring it to room temperature; use it right from the fridge.

How to make a giant meringue

Preheat oven to 245 F/120 C.

To make the meringue, beat egg whites with an electric mixer (or a stand mixer) on medium speed until soft peaks form.

Gradually add sugar and whisk until glossy peaks (photo 1).

Add powdered (icing) sugar and gently mix with a rubber spatula. Add half of the flaked almonds and combine them (photo 2). 

Place the meringue on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper. Form a large meringue, sprinkle it with the rest of the flaked almonds (photo 3) and bake for 2 hours. Let it cool (photo 4).

To make the raspberry sauce, place fresh berries with sugar in a saucepan and bring over medium heat.

Add lemon juice and cook for 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat (photo 5) and press the sauce through a fine-mesh sieve to remove seeds (photo 6).

Let it cool to room temperature. 

To decorate a giant meringue, whisk the whipping cream until firm. Place the meringue on a serving plate.

Pipe the cream with your favorite tip or spoon it on top of the dessert.

Arrange fresh raspberries and sprinkle with pistachios. Serve with the raspberry sauce aside. 

Expert tips

• If you have time before serving, leave the meringue in the closed oven for 1 to 2 hours to let it cool, even overnight, if you desire.
• The meringue will be craked after baking, which is normal. Arrange fresh raspberries along the cracks.
• Add one tablespoon of powdered (icing) sugar to the cream if you prefer.
• Make the raspberry sauce in advance, cover the bowl with plastic film and refrigerate.

Frequently asked questions

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Recipe card

The nutritional information has been calculated using an online recipe nutrition calculator such as Verywellfit.com and is intended for informational purposes only. These figures should be used as a general guideline and not be construed as a guarantee.

The recipe was adapted from http://madame.lefigaro.fr. It was originally published on July 29, 2018. The recipe has been revised to include improved content and photos. All posted pictures are mine.