FoodMeringue magic: Infuse your holiday table with gingerbread flavors

Meringue magic: Infuse your holiday table with gingerbread flavors

Meringue is not a traditional Christmas dessert. However, everyone loves it so much that they look forward to it every year. A nod to festive flavours here is the delicious gingerbread-flavoured cream with a large amount of nuts and dried fruits.

Meringue with spiced cream
Meringue with spiced cream
Images source: © Adobe Stock | Revebcova Elena

Meringue with fresh fruits, strawberries or raspberries, and a cream based on whipped cream and mascarpone is synonymous with a summer dessert. At this time of year, we can only dream of such a delicacy. However, this doesn't mean you can't prepare meringue in an autumn-winter, or actually a festive, version.

Meringue with a spicy note

Gingerbread has been associated with Christmas for hundreds of years. We like both the small, beautifully decorated thin gingerbread cookies and the larger gingerbread cakes. They always have a strong spicy note, which is what we associate with Christmas. This scent can also be found in baked goods and creams. The combination of light meringue with a strongly flavoured gingerbread cream and a large amount of nuts and dried fruits is simply excellent. It will surely appeal to lovers of meringue and gingerbread.

How to make a good meringue?

The meringue, which we will layer with gingerbread cream, is prepared similarly to the summer version. It also requires the correct proportions, with one egg white needing 50 grams of sugar. It's best to use fine, white sugar, specifically for baking. The main ingredient, which is egg whites, should be as fresh as possible. They should also be at room temperature because the meringue won't turn out if they are cold, straight from the refrigerator. Take them out a few hours before preparing the meringue.

Meringue with gingerbread cream and nuts

Ingredients:

For the meringue:

  • 6 egg whites
  • a pinch of salt
  • 1 teaspoon of light wine vinegar
  • 300 grams of fine sugar.

For the cream:

  • 125 millilitres of heavy whipping cream
  • 100 grams of spiced gingerbread cookies
  • 200 grams of mascarpone
  • spice mix to taste
  • powdered sugar to taste

Additionally:

  • half a cup of walnuts and hazelnuts,
  • dried plums and cranberries, raisins, to taste, optionally.

Instructions:

  1. Pour the egg whites into a dry bowl, add a pinch of salt, and then whip into stiff peaks.
  • While whipping, add a teaspoon of vinegar, and then add the sugar one tablespoon at a time, continuously mixing. The finished mixture should be thick and glossy.
  • Divide the meringue mixture into two parts. Spread it on parchment paper to form round layers.
  • Place the meringue in an oven preheated to 180 degrees Celsius. After 5 minutes, reduce the temperature to 140°C and bake the meringue for another 90 minutes. Cool with the oven door slightly open.

    • Whip the heavy cream until stiff.

  • Finely chop the gingerbread cookies, add the mascarpone cheese, season with spices, and mix. Then add the whipped cream and gently mix. The cream can be sweetened to taste with powdered sugar.
  • Place the finely chopped nuts on the meringue layer, add a portion of cream. Cover with the second layer and decorate the top with cream and nuts.

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