Our best meringue recipes

Sharing orange and raspberry meringue

Give a traditional meringue dessert a colourful Middle Eastern spin with this easy pavlova recipe. Layers of meringue are sandwiched with whipped cream and blood orange segments, then decorated with pistachios, pomegranate seeds and mint leaves for a rich and fruity winter pud that's perfect for a special Valentine's Day dinner.

1. Preheat the oven to gas ½, 130°C, fan 110°C. Using an electric whisk, whisk the egg whites to soft peaks. Add the cardamom and whisk to stiff peaks. Add the sugar 1 tbsp at a time, whisking well between each addition, until the meringue is thick, stiff and glossy.
2. Put a tiny bit of the meringue mix onto the corners of 2 baking sheets, then cover each sheet with baking paper (this helps keep the paper steady). Dollop the mixture into 4 mounds (2 on each sheet) and spread out into 12cm rounds. Drizzle ¼ tsp coulis over each meringue and swirl it in gently using a cocktail stick to give a marbled effect. Bake for 1 hr or until firm and they lift away easily from the paper. Turn off the oven and leave the meringues inside for 1-2 hrs until completely cool. Save 2 meringues for another recipe in an airtight container, or freeze.
3. Whisk the cream to soft peaks. To serve, place a meringue on a plate and spread two-thirds of the cream on top. Arrange the orange segments over the cream and place another meringue on top. Dollop over the remaining cream. Scatter over the pomegranate seeds and pistachios. Top with the mint (if using). Drizzle over the remaining 1 tsp coulis.

Freezing and defrosting guidelines

Freeze undecorated meringues only. To serve, defrost thoroughly in the fridge overnight before reheating on a low heat in a saucepan until hot and bubbling, around 15-20 mins.

See more Valentine's Day recipes