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Crispy Meringue Shards – Ngota Merenge Pakepakē

These Crispy Meringue Shards are simple showstoppers that are so easy to make. They give a stunning, rustic charm to so many different tohutao (recipes). I use them to decorate my lime pie and I just love how they look. How would you use them? I would love to know. Below are a few tips and a simple rundown of the recipe.

Treat these decorations with care:

These Crispy Meringue Shards are a little sensitive so be patient with these guys. Add the shards to the baking just before serving, not hours before. If they are left too long they soak up the moisture of the air and your baking and become limp and sad. That is not the desired effect.

How to make the French Meringue:

It couldn’t be simpler. Start this recipe my making my French meringue recipe which made with only a few ingredients. Simply whip the kahu hēki (egg whites) while slowly adding in the huka one (caster sugar). Flavour the merenge (meringue) with a touch of wanira (vanilla) and a touch of tote (salt). Once the merenge (meringue) is whipped in to stiff peaks it is ready to use however you want.

How to make Crispy Meringue Shards for my Key Lime Pie:

For my Key Lime Pie Recipe, I make up the merenge (meringue) and use half of it to pipe on top of the pie. Then I bake the remaining half of the mixture gently in the oven and break them in to shards. Just before serving they decorate the pae (pie), creating amazing flare and intrigue.

You can use them to decorate anything though, how cool would they look on fancy cupcakes? Or what about sitting proudly on top of Chocolate Almond Cake? Let your creative imagination go wild and let me know how you use these whakarākei (decorations). Check out more cake (keke) recipes here.

Videography and photography by Sarah Henderson.

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Meringue Shards – Ngota Merenge Pakepakē

Delicious meringue shards make the perfect decoration for my lime pie or for any baked goods.

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Prep Time 15

Cook Time 1 30

Ingredients

French Meringue – Tāhungahunga Wīwī

2 kahu hēki (egg whites)
½ C (110 g) huka one (caster sugar)
¼ tsp kirīmi tāta (cream of tartar)
1 tsp iho hūperei (vanilla)
He kini tote – a pinch of salt

Instructions

Meringue Shards – Ngota Tāhungahunga

Pre-heat the oven to 80 °C on the bake setting.
Follow the instructions for my French meringue recipe.
Once the meringue is made, simply spread the meringue on to a flat tray, lined with baking paper.
If you are using half of the mixture (like I do for my lime pie) then spread the half mixture on to one tray.
If you are using all of the mixture, then spread it on to two trays lined with baking paper.
Bake in the pre-heated oven for 1 ½ hours and then turn the oven off and leave them to cool completely in the cool oven before using them.
Once cool, break the meringue in to shards and decorate your baked goods.
These will go soft if they sit too long so I only add them just before serving for maximum crunch and wow factor.
If you are not using them straight away, break the cooled merenge (meringue) in to shards and place in a sealed container. This will keep well for a day or so.
You can also do this process the day before you want to use it and keep them in the closed oven until they are needed.
If the meringue shards have softened slightly when you go to use them, bake them again in a 80 °C oven for 20-30 until they have gone hard again.

Crispy Meringue Shards