Meringue Domes (Meringue Balls or Spheres)

Quick Summary: These meringue domes, also called meringue balls or spheres, are crisp half-sphere meringues baked in silicone molds and filled with chestnut whipped cream. They resemble snowballs and make a fun Christmas dessert you can serve year-round.

What is a meringue dome?

A meringue dome is a crisp, hollow half-sphere of baked French meringue, piped into a silicone half-sphere mold and dried slowly in a low oven. Two half-spheres are filled with cream and joined to form a ball, which is why the dessert is also called meringue balls or spheres. Unlike a Pavlova, the meringue here is crisp all the way through, with no soft marshmallow center.

Eight tips to make the perfect meringue

Follow these eight tips to make the perfect meringue:

1. Use a clean, grease-free bowl: a copper bowl works best because it helps the egg whites hold their volume, but a stainless steel or glass bowl works too.
2. Separate the eggs cleanly: crack cold eggs into an egg separator, and don't let any yolk get into the whites.
3. Bring whites to room temperature: let egg whites sit out for 1 to 2 hours first, so they whip up quicker and easier.
4. Use caster or superfine sugar: it dissolves faster; you can make your own by processing granulated sugar in a food processor.
5. Add sugar gradually: let each addition dissolve before adding more; rub a bit of meringue between your fingers and feel no grains.
6. Start slow, then speed up: beat at low speed at first and increase to medium-high as you go.
7. Whisk to stiff peaks: the meringue should curve into a "bec d'oiseau" (bird's beak) and stay put even when you turn the bowl upside down.
8. Use it right away: pipe the meringue immediately, as it starts to break down if it sits.

Why you'll love this recipe

1. This meringue dessert has one of the best presentations ever and is made in silicone molds.
2. Meringue balls make a unique Christmas dessert: scatter them on your holiday table as edible decor or serve them individually.
3. The three-ingredient French meringue recipe is easy to make.
4. Using different types of cream to assemble meringue balls opens endless possibilities.
5. Serving meringue half-spheres instead of spheres makes 12 individually served desserts.

Ingredients

For ingredients and detailed instructions, refer to the recipe card below.

• Egg whites: the recipe calls for large egg whites. Using chilled eggs and an egg separator makes it easier to separate egg whites from the yolks.

• Sugar: use caster sugar or make your superfine sugar. Place the required amount of granulated white sugar in a food processor and grind for about 1 to 2 minutes, until the sugar looks like fine sand.

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

• Chestnut cream: this French classic makes the whipped cream sweet and nutty. If you have never tried chestnut cream, you will be surprised to find it is a delicious topping for crepes and waffles, or for making sandwiched cookies.

• Whipping cream: Use your favorite brand of whipping cream with at least 35% milk fat.

• Rum: Use dark rum or brandy. If you have kids, please omit rum.

• Lime: Use organic, untreated lime and make the zest with a zester grater. Replace it with the zest of kaffir lime (combawa) or lemon.

Equipment

You need only a few basic tools to make these meringue domes:

• Silicone half-sphere molds: to shape and bake the meringue domes.
• Stand mixer or electric mixer: to whip the egg whites into meringue.
• Pastry bag with Ateco plain pastry tip 806: to pipe the meringue into the molds.
• Rubber spatula: to fold in the icing sugar and the chestnut cream.
• Egg separator: to separate the whites from the yolks cleanly.

How to make meringue domes

Step 1. Preheat oven to 185°F (85°C).

Step 2. To make the meringue, beat the egg whites in a stand mixer or with an electric mixer until they are mounted.

Step 3. Gradually add caster (or superfine) sugar and whisk to get the glossy meringue (photo 1).

Step 4. Stir in the icing (powdered) sugar with a rubber spatula. Place the meringue in a pastry bag with the cut end or Ateco plain pastry tip 806 and push it into the cavities of half-sphere molds.

Step 5. Smooth the meringue over the whole half-sphere with the back of a teaspoon (photo 2), place the silicone molds on the oven rack, and bake for two hours.

Step 6. Take the meringues out of the oven and let them cool down. Then carefully remove the meringue half-spheres from the molds (photo 3).

Step 7. To make chestnut whipped cream, whip the whipping cream until whipped.

Step 8. Stir in the chestnut cream and dark rum using a rubber spatula (photo 4).

Step 9. To assemble meringue spheres, make a small dot of chestnut whipped cream on a serving platter and place a meringue hemisphere on it.

Step 10. Garnish this and another hemisphere with cream (photo 5), then place one on top of the other to form a ball.

Step 11. Sprinkle the meringue dessert with icing (powdered) sugar and lime zest (photo 6). Assemble the remaining baked hemispheres the same way.

Expert tips

1. Please read the eight tips to make French meringue above in the post.
2. Bake the meringue half-spheres on oven racks, not on a baking sheet.
3. To even the base of the baked meringue half-spheres, use a cheese or zester grater. This way, the meringue hemispheres will match perfectly when assembling the dessert.
4. Make meringue half-spheres in advance and fill them with cream on the day of serving.

Recipe variations

• Chestnut cream: this French classic makes the whipped cream sweet and nutty. If you cannot find it, replace chestnut cream with an equal amount of sweetened chestnut puree, or use smooth almond or hazelnut praline paste for a similar sweet, nutty flavor.
• Orange flower cream: scent the whipped cream with orange flower water, like in the Banoffee Pie Cups recipe.
• Coffee cream: coffee lovers can use the coffee whipped cream from the Meringue Cake Merveilleux.
• Chocolate cream: fill the domes with white chocolate whipped cream from the Brownie Cake, or milk chocolate cream from the Banana Cupcakes.
• Half-sphere dessert: serve single domes garnished with whipped cream, fresh fruit, and a dusting of icing sugar for a summertime treat.
• Colored meringue: tint the meringue with food coloring powder (not liquid or gel, which changes the consistency), then mix it with icing sugar for nice patterns.

Storing & freezing

Store the assembled dessert in the fridge for up to 24 hours. I don't recommend freezing it.

Recipe FAQ

Can you make meringue domes in advance?
Yes. Bake the meringue half-spheres a few days ahead and store them uncovered on the counter, away from humidity. Fill and assemble them with cream only when you are ready to serve.

Why did my meringue burn or rise in the oven?
The oven was most likely too hot. Meringue domes bake low and slow at 185°F (85°C); if yours browned or puffed up, check your oven with an oven thermometer, since the real temperature is often higher than the display.

My meringues weren't done after 2 hours and wept sugar. What went wrong?
This usually comes down to oven temperature and how the molds sit in the oven. Verify the real temperature with a thermometer, and place the silicone molds directly on the oven rack rather than on a baking sheet, which slows drying and can cause the sugar to weep.

How do I get the meringue domes smooth?
Rough or empty spots come from tiny air bubbles in the meringue. Tap the filled mold gently on the counter before baking to release the bubbles, and smooth the surface with the back of a teaspoon.

What size mold do you use?
The half-sphere mold cavity is 2.7 inches (7 cm), which makes one full sphere when you join two halves.

How many calories are in one meringue dome?
One assembled meringue sphere has about 255 calories.

Love meringue desserts? Try these next

• Pavlova Roll (Meringue Roulade)
• Ottolenghi's Eton Mess
• Cipriani Cake (Vanilla Meringue Cake)
• Merveilleux (French Meringue Dessert)
• Lotus Biscoff Cake
• Meringue Mushrooms
• Large Meringue
• Browse all the gluten-free desserts

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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://www.femmeactuelle.fr/. It was originally published on November 27, 2018. The recipe has been revised to include improved content and photos.