These pink swirled rose meringues with pistachios are a showstopper dessert that just spells summer. The outer shell is crisp while the middles are soft and marshmallowy, like a pavlova. They are designed to be topped with fresh cream, fresh fruit and nuts.
The rose water, pistachios and rose petals give these meringues a subtle Middle Eastern edge, But you can leave these out if you prefer. I added 2 teaspoons of rose water to give a very subdued hint, but 3 or 4 teaspoons would give a more pronounced flavour.
I had every intention of topping them with fresh strawberries and raspberries too, but in the end, I loved them just as they were for the shoot. Berries would be perfect to accompany these though.
This recipe is an adaptation of mypink swirl meringues with pomegranate syrup from my website and changed the method to the mini pavlovas from my first cookbook. If you prefer a crispier meringue, bake them for an hour as per the Pink Swirl recipe.
I’m so thrilled to collaborate with Babylonstoren on this recipe, after the roaring success of my no-knead focaccia bread recipe which showcases their incredible olive oil.
These rose pink meringues with pistachios were created to pair with their Mourvèdre Rosé which is a dry wine with a pale onion skin hue. Echoing a South African summer sunset, this is the wine for the season.
The wine reveals strawberries and rose petals on the nose, developing into flavours of watermelon and crushed pomegranate on the palate, rounded off with fresh acidity for a delicious, lingering mouthfeel. It pairs beautifully with these rose meringues.
Babylonstoren is the most spectacular working farm in the Cape. I love to visit the gardens during any season. You can read all about my stay at their Fynbos Cottages and the bee workshop I attended.
The Babylonstoren Mourvèdre Rosé would also pair very well with:
Berry Eton mess with pistachios
Easy roasted plum Eton mess with toasted almonds
Pizza with grilled aubergine and goat cheese
Caramelised onion and goat cheese tartlets
Pizza Bianco with prosciutto and nectarines
Watermelon salad with goat cheese
Bried and red grape tartines
Easy plum tarte tatin
Tips to make perfect meringues:
Ensure the bowl and whisk are spotlessly clean. Reclean with soapy hot water and thoroughly dry or wipe down with a cut lemon and paper towel.
Make sure that no egg yolk gets into the whites. To help, separate each egg in another small bowl first before adding it to the main bowl. This way if you lose an egg, you won’t lose all the whites.
Chilled eggs are easier to separate but room-temperature eggs will fluff up to a higher volume. You could separate them while chilled and then allow these to come to room temp.
Using an electric mixer is essential to making meringue and I wouldn’t attempt it by hand. You could use a hand-held mixer but the long whisking time could be challenging. A stand mixer is best for the job.
Add the caster sugar one tablespoon at a time and then continue to mix for a further 8 – 10 minutes and until the meringue is gloss. This may seem very slow but it’s important. Caster sugar is finer than granulated sugar so will dissolve more quickly.
Sift over the corn starch into the meringue to avoid any lumps.
Cream of tartar/vinegar/ lemon juice – works to stabilise egg whites, increasing their heat tolerance and volume. They also prevent sugar syrups from crystallising. They assist with making the meringue white & crisp and fluffy on the inside.
Add a few drops of gel food colouring, and using a large metal spoon, fold through to create swirls. Using a metal spoon is better for meringues than plastic which knocks out some of the air. The egg protein adheres to plastic differently.
Under whipped meringues will become soft and will weep.
make a slight indentation on the top of the meringue / mini pavlovas for the cream to settle into.
What to do with leftover egg yolks after making meringues:
I tested this recipe 3 times so found myself with 18 leftover egg yolks. I put a call out on my Instagram as to what to do with them and I got a lot of replies. Here are a few ideas.
Ice cream – the most obvious way to use up yolks is to make dense ice cream from a cooked egg custard base. See my recipe for a classic vanilla bean ice cream.
Curd – I love making citrus curd with leftover egg yolks. You can find my popular recipe for easy granadilla curd (passion fruit) and my lemon curd recipe.
Easy Instant Pot Crème Brûlée with passionfruit curd uses 6 egg yolks and is so delicious.
Mayonnaise – check out my easy mayonnaise recipe
Portuguese desserts such as pasteis de nata.
Custard – any homemade custard will call for egg yolks
Pasta – enrich a pasta dough with egg yolks.
Salt-cured egg yolks – I’m trying this next so watch this space
Recipe – makes 6 mini pavlovas / large meringues
Rose meringues with pistachios
These rose meringues with pistachios are a showstopping dessert. Serve with whipped fresh cream and fresh berries.
Print Recipe
Ingredients
- 6 large free-range egg whites at room temperature
- 320 gm 1 ½ cups caster sugar
- 2 tsp corn flour
- 2 – 3 tsp rose water
- 1 tsp white vinegar
- A few drops of red or pink gel food colouring
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 150C / 300F and line a large baking tray with baking paper.
Ensure the bowl and whisk are spotlessly clean. Reclean with soapy hot water and thoroughly dry.
To make the meringue, whisk the egg whites using a stand mixer on medium-high.
Once they have become stiff, slowly add the caster sugar, one tablespoon at a time while the mixer is running. Continue whisking for a further 8 – 10 minutes and until the mixture is glossy and all the sugar has dissolved.
Sift over the corn starch, add the rose water and vinegar and mix briefly again until it's well incorporated.
Remove the bowl from the mixer and scrape down the whisk.
Add a few drops of gel food colouring, and using a large metal spoon, fold through to create swirls.
Drop 6 mounds of the meringue mixture onto the lined baking tray ensuring you have allowed space in between as they will expand while being baked.
Put them in the oven then immediately turn the oven down to 120C/250F. Bake for 40 minutes (do not open the door). Turn off the oven and leave them in to cool completely and dry out (this will take 2 – 3 hours).
Notes
Store them in an airtight container until you want to use them. Be careful as they are extremely delicate and can break easily.
The meringues can be made in advance.
Add a splash more rose water to the whipped cream or vanilla extract. Add a tablespoon of sugar to sweeten slightly.
Serve with sliced strawberries and raspberries.
Servings: 6
Author: Sam Linsell
*This post is proudly sponsored by Babylonstoren
