Festive indulgence: Gingerbread meringue with nuts and fruit
Meringue might not be a traditional Christmas dessert, but everyone loves it so much that they anticipate it each year. This delightful gingerbread-flavoured cream, complemented by a generous helping of nuts and dried fruits, is a nod to festive flavours.
Meringue with fresh fruits, such as strawberries or raspberries, and a cream made from whipped cream and mascarpone is synonymous with a summer dessert. We can only dream of such a treat during this time of year. However, this doesn’t mean you can't prepare meringue in autumn-winter or indeed a festive version.
Meringue with a spicy note
Gingerbread has been associated with Christmas for centuries. We enjoy both small, beautifully decorated gingerbread biscuits and larger gingerbread cakes. They always exude a strong, spicy aroma that we associate with Christmas. This aroma can also be found in baked goods and creams. Combining light meringue with a strongly flavoured gingerbread cream and generous nuts and dried fruits is simply splendid. It will surely appeal to lovers of both meringue and gingerbread.
How to make a good meringue?
The meringue, which we will layer with gingerbread cream, is prepared in much the same way as the summer version. It 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 fridge. 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:
- 120 ml of heavy whipping cream
- 100 grams of spiced gingerbread biscuits
- 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:
- Pour the egg whites into a dry bowl, add a pinch of salt, and whip them 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°C. After 5 minutes, reduce the temperature to 140°C and bake the meringue for another 90 minutes. Allow it to cool with the oven door slightly open.
- Whip the heavy cream until stiff.
- Finely chop the gingerbread biscuits, add the mascarpone cheese, season with spices, and mix. Then add the whipped cream and gently mix. Sweeten the cream 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.
