pink swirl meringues with pomegranate syrup
A blog that I have recently found and really like is Mimi Thorissons’s – Manger. It’s achingly beautiful and instantly makes me yearn for Europe. Mimi lives in Medoc in France and it kind of looks like she has a perfect life. Her recipes are lovely, and her photographs have an exquisite old-world patina feel to them. Who doesn’t want to be transported to another place when browsing the interwebs.
I fell in love with these gorgeous meringues the minute I saw them. Hitting my current love affair with pomegranates head-on, I couldn’t wait to dive into my kitchen.
Meringues are tricky things to make. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. It was the recipe that took me the longest to perfect in my cookbook, and after nine tests, I finally got my mini pavlova’s exactly how I wanted them. The making of meringue is a combination of exact ingredients and ratios, as well as the temperature and time to bake them. These three variables when altered slightly here or there can have a big effect on your outcome.
How you like your meringue is a matter of personal taste. I like pavlova to be crispy on the outside and soft in the middle, but still firm enough to take a slice out of. I like meringues to have a firmer and crumbly texture.
I made 4 big meringues out of this recipe, and they were more like mini pavlova’s. Next time I will make several smaller ones and check out the result.
I adapted the recipe slightly by using large eggs (these are all I ever buy), and caster sugar instead of granulated sugar. I added the cornflour right at the end with a teaspoon of vanilla extract. I made my own version of pomegranate syrup, which I cooked for quite a while to reduce it to the syrupy consistency that I wanted.
Topped with generous dollops of whipped cream and fresh pomegranate seeds, this was an absolutely beautiful dessert and big texture adventure.
I gave one to a friend who served it at a dinner, and there were mutterings of ‘best meringue ever eaten’ etc.
Meringues | makes 4 large meringues
- 6 large egg whites – at room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups of caster sugar (320 g)
- about 1/2 t red food colouring (I used a gel colouring)
- A pinch of fine salt
- 1 1/2 t cornflour
- 1 t vanilla extract
- 1 pomegranate, seeds only to serve
- 250ml – 350ml cream to whip
Pomegranate syrup:
- 1 cup of freshly squeezed pomegranate juice (see how to do this easily here)
- 1/2 cup of sugar
Preheat the oven to 140° C and line a baking tray with a silicone sheet or baking paper.
Using an electric mixer whisk the eggs white until firm peaks. Keep the whisk running and add the salt add sugar very slowly, one tablespoon at a time. Keep whisking for 10 – 12 minutes on medium-high speed. Add the cornflour and vanilla at the end and mix through briefly.
Add the food colouring, and by hand gently swirl this through the meringue. Using two spoons, scoop out dollops of the mixture and shape into rounds on the baking paper to create swirls *this is a little tricky but don’t worry, they look beautiful in the end.
Bake for 1 hour, then switch off the oven. Leave the meringues in the oven with the door slightly ajar for 15 minutes.
Syrup:
Bring the juice and sugar to a boil in a small pot, then reduce to a simmer and cook for about 10 – 15 minutes until it thickens. As it cools it will thicken more. Keep cooking it until it’s the thickness you like.
other recipes with pomegranate:
Pomegranate and ginger spritzer
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I can also be found enthusiastically pinning beautiful food Pinterest.
Ooo! Sam these look wonderful! I will be making a batch shortly! I have your wonderful cook book and wanted to know if there is an index page that I could print and stick in? I enjoy making the recipes but would find them more easily if there was an index. I always look forward to your posts they give me inspiration! 🙂
Wow, these look delicious! Maybe it’s all in my head, but anything pink just tastes better 😉
Too beautiful, the pink and the pomegranite rubies are beautiful together
Your photos as absolutely stunning! I adore pomegranates and just when I thought they can’t get any better, you give us this!
Thanks Lisa, Im a little obsessed 🙂
These are the prettiest meringues! Love the pink swirls and the pom syrup.
These are so pretty! Would be perfect to make for a super girly high tea 🙂
Those meringues are so pretty! Almost too pretty to eat. Almost 😀
These are so lovely. (And I’m a little obsessed with Manger too–is it normal to want to crawl through a computer screen when reading a blog?) I haven’t had a pavlova in ages and suddenly I can’t stop craving them!
Ha ha Elizabeth, I think that is completely normal. In some way we are voyeurs anyway, creeping into each other lives and kitchens on the internet.
Thanks Jennifer, I have to say I was a little sad when I ate the last one (shared with a friend). Always sad when something delicious comes to an end.
Stunning. You have transcended me into a meringue trance. Beautiful and inspiring photography.
Thanks Nadine 🙂
Sam, everything you do is stunning. I am so inspired by your blog–you make me want to be better, and you make me want to eat!! I enjoy viewing your pictures greatly — keep up the hard work and thank you!
Emily
So pretty!! I love the shades of pink.
Would it work to use freshly squeezed pom juice as the food coloring? These look amazing!!
GREAT!
Stunning Sam!
I got a reply from Tracey and will send it through to you tomorrow after I have studied it – so that you can see exactly what her plans are…!
Carolie
Hi Eliza, I don’t think it will work as there will be too much liquid which will change the consistency of the meringue. I literally use about 3 drops of gel food colouring, which is really not a lot.
These meringues are looking absolutely wonderful! (I love the colour, of course! 🙂 ) Your pics are, as always, perfect!
I never quite succeeded in making meringues but yours are too good to make a pass. Love your photography.
Thanks Sandra and good luck
Hi, as I am from Europe, we use another metric system. I was wondering what you exactly mean with the T’s en t’s in all of your recipes. What is the difference between T & t? I would love to make this recipe, it looks so good! Please keep up the good work (and maybe also write some recipes down for us Europeans?;))!
Hi Catharina. Glad you like and want to try this recipe. There is only one metric system. T = tablespoon (15ml) and t = teaspoon (5ml).
Enjoy!
I know this is all about the pomegranates, but I live in a place where I can’t get them. Can you think of another syrup option that might look nearly as cool as this? Love your website and inspiration. Thanks.
Hi Denise, pomegranate is pretty unique and nothing can replace the look. But try strawberries or any other dark berry. perhaps cherries too.
Absolutely stunning! Bravo!
Thank you Sarah 🙂
Can I use a different sugar than castor in here?
Hi! This may seem strange on a cooking website, but those are some lovely photos of the food. What kind of camera do you use?
Hi Haly, Im currently shooting with a Canon 5D mark III with various good lenses. I shot this particular image on a Mark II with a 100mm macro lens.
Hi Laura. I always prefer to use castor sugar with meringues as its finer and dissolves into the egg white more easily. This is critical when making meringues. Granulated sugar doesn’t dissolve completely unless you beat it for double the time but Im not even sure as I never use it
Wow these really looking scrumptious and delicious ?. Obsessed ?
Wow these really looking scrumptious and delicious ?. Obsessed ?
Are your pics before you cooked? Mine looked like that before the oven, but browned in the oven. I used stevia, not sure if that had anything to don with it?
HI Tammy, My final pic was after the meringues were baked. They shouldn’t darken if you use food colouring. They will darken if you use fresh fruit (sauce) or powder. What did you use to make the pink swirl?