Cookbook:Meringata (Cream-filled Meringue Gateaux)

Cookbook | Ingredients | Recipes

Meringata (literally "meringued") refers to any type of cake or dessert with a meringue topping or meringue mixed into it such as Meringata di limone (lemon meringue pie) or Meringata di panna (Meringue cream gateaux, pie or other dessert). The name covers many entirely different confections, one of which is similar to Pavlova, an Australian/New Zealand meringue cake consisting of wheels of meringue layered with whipped cream. As a rule, meringate, like most meringue confections, should be assembled a short time prior to consumption, otherwise the meringue will dissolve in the liquid in the filling.

Variation I – Meringata alla panna

Ingredients

Meringues

• 8 oz (1 cup / 400 g) egg whites
• 16 oz (2 cups / 800 g) superfine sugar

Filling

• 1 cup crème pâtissière
• 2 (75 g) egg whites
• 5 oz (150 g) sugar
• 3 Tbsp (50 ml) water
• 2 cups heavy cream

Procedure

Meringue

1. Following the recipe for Swiss meringue, whisk the egg whites to soft peaks, then add the 1sugar little by little, to form firm peaks.
2. Beat the egg whites over simmering water to 120ºF (50ºC).
3. Remove from the heat and continue beating until the meringue is cool.
4. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and draw two 10 inch circles on the paper.
5. Using a pastry bag, pipe a spiral beginning in the centre of the circle and working outwards to form a disc of about ½ inch thick.
6. Repeat with the other circle.
7. With the remaining meringue, pipe 20 small meringues using a star tip.
8. Bake the meringues for 2 to 2½ hours at 200˚F to 225˚F (110˚C) until crisp but not brown. For a whiter meringue, bake at 180˚F (80˚C) overnight.

Filling

1. Use the egg yolks left over from the meringue to make 1 cup of crème pâtissière. Chill well.
2. se the egg whites, sugar, and water to make an Italian meringue. Refrigerate to cool thoroughly.
3. Whip the cream to medium peaks. Fold in the 1 cup of cold pastry cream and Italian meringue. Refrigerate until ready to proceed with the assembly.

Assembly

1. Spread one half of the filling on one of the meringue discs.
2. Place the second disc on top and cover the second disc with the rest of the filling.
3. Arrange the small meringues in concentric circles on top of the meringata.
4. Refrigerate for 2 hours before serving.

Variation II – Meringata alla panna con zenzero (Meringata with ginger and cream)

Ingredients

• 1 container store-bought or homemade meringues
• 1 cup preserved ginger, cut into small pieces
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 4 Tbsp powdered sugar
• 1 lemon

Procedure

1. Chop the ginger up.
2. Grate the zest and juice the lemon. Strain the juice and mix with the zest.
3. Mix the juice and zest with the heavy cream.
4. Whip the cream to soft peaks.
5. Fold in the powdered sugar.
6. Mix the ginger into the cream.
7. Crumble the meringues and mix into the cream. Do this just before serving.
8. Serve immediately, otherwise the meringue will dissolve in the cream over time.

Variation III – Meringata di frutta in coppa (Fruit and cream with meringue in a goblet)

A quick and easy meringata is made as follows:

Ingredients

• Vanilla cream, home-made or store-bought, as needed
• Any fruit of choice or a mixture – berries, deciduous or tropical fruits, as needed
• Crème chantilly, as needed
• crumbled meringues, as needed

Procedure

1. In a Martini glass or parfait glass, spoon a few tablespoonsful of vanilla cream into the bottom of the glass.
2. Cover the custard with any fruit of choice, leaving enough room for the topping.
3. Cover the fruit with créme chantilly and sprinkle crumbled meringue chips on top.
4. Serve with a sprig of mint or basil and drizzle with raspberry coulis or other topping of choice.