Meringue shells are a breeze to make and can be stored in the freezer for last-minute desserts. Follow this tutorial on how to make meringue shells.
This tutorial for how to make meringue shells has saved me many, many times. As much as I love entertaining, there are times when the thought of making a full meal, from appetizers and cocktails to entree, side dish and dessert, seems overwhelming. Of course, I could make things a little easier on myself by buying a dessert from a pastry shop, but that is not in my masochistic nature. That is where these easy, freezable meringue shells come in. Made of whipped egg whites and sugar, the shells can be made ahead of time and stored in airtight containers in the freezer. They take a matter of minutes to defrost at room temperature, and can be filled with ingredients such fresh berries, whipped cream, chocolate mascarpone cheese, or ice cream.
This post is part of my weekly how-to series. Be sure read through the other tutorials for more kitchen tips and skills.
How to make meringue shells:
*It is very important to use a bowl and beaters that are well-cleaned and dried. Any grease on these items can prevent the egg whites from achieving stiff peaks.
Preheat the oven to 225 degrees F.
Prepare two large baking sheets by lining them with parchment paper. On each piece of parchment paper, trace six 3- to 3 ½-inch circles with a pencil.
Pour 8 large egg whites into a very clean, large bowl or the bowl of a mixer.
With a hand or stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat at low speed until the egg whites are foamy.
Increase speed to medium and gradually pour in 2 cups sugar. Continue beating until the egg whites form stiff peaks when you lift the beaters out of the egg mixture. You now have a meringue.
Take care not to overbeat the egg whites, as they can become grainy and dry.
Using a rubber spatula, gently transfer the meringue to a clean pastry bag fitted with a large circular or star tip, depending on the look you want to achieve.
Starting at the center of each circle, pipe a circle of meringue. When you reach the outer rim of the circle, pipe 1 to 2 additional layers on top of the border. Obviously, the more you pipe, the deeper each shell will be.
Put the baking sheets in the oven. Bake for 1 ½ hours, then turn off the oven and leave the meringues in the oven for 30 additional minutes.
Gently peel the meringues off of the parchment. Cool completely and put the meringues in an airtight container. Freeze the meringues if you will not be using them in the next 3 to 4 days.
How to Make Meringue Shells
Ingredients
- 8 large egg whites
- 2 cups granulated sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 225 degrees F.
- Prepare two large baking sheets by lining them with parchment paper. On each piece of parchment paper, trace six 4- to 5-inch circles with a pencil. Flip the parchment paper over so that the meringue will not be sitting directly on the pencil marks.
- Pour 8 large egg whites into a very clean, large bowl or the bowl of a mixer. With a hand or stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat at low speed until the egg whites are foamy. Increase speed to medium and gradually pour in 2 cups sugar. Continue beating until the egg whites form stiff peaks when you lift the beaters out of the egg mixture. You now have a meringue. Take care not to overbeat the egg whites, as they can become grainy and dry.
- Using a rubber spatula, gently transfer the meringue to a clean pastry bag fitted with a large circular or star tip, depending on the look you want to achieve.
- Starting at the center of each circle, pipe a circle of meringue. When you reach the outer rim of the circle, pipe 1 to 2 additional layers on top of the border. The more you pipe, the deeper each shell will be.
- Put the baking sheets in the oven. Bake for 1 ½ hours, then turn off the oven and leave the meringues in the oven for 30 additional minutes.
- Gently peel the meringues off of the parchment. Cool completely and put the meringues in an airtight container.
- Freeze the meringues if you will not be using them in the next 3 to 4 days.
Notes
Nutrition
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Monica
Hi Dara! Can I used a gas oven?
Dara
Hi Monica, I haven't actually baked these in a gas oven, so don't have experience with that. I did a little googling and it seems that gas ovens can cause some issues because of the humid oven atmosphere. This article (see point #4) suggests turning up the oven by 25 degrees F.
Penny
Can you put hot lemon curd into meringue cups ahead without it going soggy
Dara
Hmm, good question, Penny. I would be worried that they would make them soggy. Instead, I'd be tempted to let the lemon curd cool to room temperature, which I think would taste just as good.
Barb
About how long does it take to get stiff peaks?
Hani
How many meringue shells does this recipe make? =)
Jennifer Carttar
I loved making these merengue nests! I was wondering if one can substitute carton egg whites (not egg white substitute) for those you separate on your own? Thanks!
Kathy
Pasteurized egg whites in a carton are fine for making meringue.
Nancy
These would be great for my daughter's wedding. How long do they hold up in the freezer, do you know?
Thank you for sharing this tutorial too!