Why are my meringues chewy? And what to do about them


Meringues are the delicate darlings of the cookie world and they are so pretty and darn delicious we can forgive their finicky mannerisms.


Small changes during the making or storage of meringues can make them chewy. We follow strict protocols that control moisture and temperature during our production process so our meringues are always crisp when they exit our ovens. We taste test each batch for perfect crispness; even a bit of chew and back they go into the oven for another long rest.


We even package our meringues with those tiny desiccant packs that suck up ambient moisture but because our meringues are made the same way you make yours in your home kitchen, over time they may pick up moisture from their surroundings regardless of our best efforts. Other times your meringues will remain so crisp in their packaging you will swear they were baked yesterday. We blind taste tested our pumpkin spice meringues from our 2018 pop up shop against freshly baked ones in the fall of 2020 and we could not detect a perceptible difference!


So what to do when you open up a bag or carafe and your meringue is chewy. You have two options; your meringue is now the texture of a light taffy so enjoy your meringue taffy! We have had customers tell us they love the juices that flow out of our meringues when they get chewy. But if like me, you love the crispness of meringues follow these easy instructions:


Preheat your oven to 200 F

Do not use the convection function. If your fan is on, you will have flying meringues!

Place meringues in oven for 10 or a maximum 15 minutes

Cool completely


Enjoy!




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Easy summer meringue desserts!



Summer is here! The kiddos are out of school, the grill is all fired up and the pool beckons. Who wants to be stuck in the kitchen at a time like this? And yet summer is all about entertaining so you better make sure that you have some easy desserts under your belt to serve up after the hot dogs and burgers have been demolished. Here are some super easy and refreshing meringue desserts that we turn to every summer.



Our first go to is ALWAYS our Mini Pav shells that we fill with our favorite jams or curds, top off with a dollop of whipped cream or yogurt and some seasonal fruit. We filled this mini pavlova with homemade passion fruit curd ( you can purchase store bought - we won't tell!), a spoonful of creamy yogurt and topped it off with fresh ripe mangoes, a drizzle of fresh passion fruit pulp and topped with a passion fruit meringue.




If you want a dessert you can eat AND drink you can always whip up an iced frap and add a bunch of your favorite meringues. Blend any bottled iced coffee and ice, till you reach a creamy consistency much like a slushy; we add a splash of Baileys Liquor for a boozy kick! What takes this dessert to another level is the addition of your favorite meringues after you pour your frappuccino into glasses. We suggest using either Confetti Crunch, Chocolate or Rainbow Vanilla meringues because these pair best with the natural bitterness of coffee. Don't forget a fun straw and a spoon!




"You know what else everybody likes? Parfait." Donkey said it best in Shrek and we like to believe that he was referring to our meringue parfaits. Just layer whatever you have on hand, yogurt (plain or flavored), whipped cream or coconut cream, add a layer of ANY of our crushed meringues and a layer of your favorite fruit and viola! Instant dessert delivered in minutes. While literally any of our meringues are ideal for parfaits we have a few favorite parfait combos. We recommend using our Bulgarian Rose meringues to make a rose, raspberry and pistachio parfait or pairing Icelandic Skyr with fresh summer berries and Confetti Crunch or Rainbow Vanilla Meringues.




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A guide to perfect dairy free whipped cream


Mini Pavlova and Eaton Mess with coconut cream
Dairy Free and Gluten Meringue Desserts

Dairy free whipped cream is easier than you might think and it has the added benefit of bringing a distinctively new flavor profile to any dessert. I prefer working with coconut milk to create my dairy free whipped cream.


Follow these fail safe tips to create your whipped coconut cream:


  • Use a can of coconut milk - do not use boxed coconut milk

  • Use full fat coconut milk.

  • Chill it overnight but DO NOT freeze


  • When you open the can DO NOT shake or tilt

  • Scoop out the hardened coconut milk solids and reserve for your recipe.

  • Chill your whisk and mixing bowl in the freezer for at least 10 minutes if not more.

  • Use an electric hand mixer or stand mixer. DO NOT attempt to whisk by hand

  • Sweeten with powdered sugar (1/4 cup/can of coconut milk). You can substitute with honey or a natural sweetener but note that whenever you add a liquid you will reduce the ability of the cream to set.

  • If you choose to add natural sugar like coconut or sugar in the raw, grind it fine before adding and then add a table spoon of sifted cornstarch to the mixture.

  • Mix on medium high with a wire whisk for 4-5 minutes. Do not fret if the mixture still appears to be too watery.

  • Place in refrigerator for at least four hours before use.

  • If for some reason your coconut cream has not set firmly after this time you may have had the misfortune of using a "dud" can. At this point you have the option of using gelatin or agar agar to set it up. Use one teaspoon of gelatin powder bloomed in 3 teaspoons of coconut water for 10 minutes. Gently heat this mixture to allow gelatin to dissolve. Do not bring it to a boil. Cool slightly. place coconut cream in the mixer and whisk on medium while adding the gelatin. Continue whisking till thickened.

Use your whipped coconut cream to fold in berries and meringues to make a dairy free Eton Mess or top your mini pavlovas with this healthy alternative to whipped cream. Remember though that a little goes a long way- coconut cream is very filling! This is perfect for those mini summer desserts.



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