Lordy, Lordy, when my friends at Bo Nuage in Los Angeles came in to the studio at The Bikini Lifestyles Show, I had no idea what an art form it was to create gorgeous Mini Meringue Cakes with Lemon Whipped Cream in the Bo Nuage-style.
Their cakes were so light and luscious that I just had to give it a whirl to make my own; especially since I had forgotten to place my order with Bo Nuage in time for the then upcoming Easter holiday.
A kitchen coated in egg whites, sugar, and sprinkles later, here is what I learned about meringue cookies, cakes, how to make whipped cream that lasts, and of course, my Mini Meringue Cakes recipes. Meringue cookies are transformed into mini cakes filled and coated with lemon or coconut whipped cream and decorative sprinkles.
Tips on making meringue:
*Dry, dry, dry is the word. Dry climates, dry mixing bowls, dry spatulas – moisture is the meringue enemy
*Superfine sugar makes a difference. Superfine sugar is sugar that has been ground up into tiny little granules. I did not have superfine sugar so, I ground my own granulated sugar in a mini food processor for about 1 minute. I know, I know, I talk all the time about how bad sugar is for you. And yes, it is. But, sometimes, it is impossible to get around. Keep your sugar highs to fun times in the kitchen, like this one, and share your delicious results with your neighbors. They will love you forever.
*Slow and low overkill. I had experienced many times cooking roasts, ribs, and other savory foods slow and low in the oven. Making meringue cakes and cookies takes the term “slow and low” to a whole ‘nother level. Be prepared… the oven is set to 200* and these tasty treats cook for hours, shorter for cookies, longer for cakes.
*Stiff peaks make a difference. Period. Make sure your pre-baked whipped egg whites are whipped to stiff peaks.
*Make sure you have nothing else you want to bake for several hours. In fact, if you begin making them during the day, order out for dinner that night.
Tips on making whipped cream that lasts:
How many times have you made homemade whipped cream only to have it lag and sag and lose its “whippedness” within hours or for sure, overnight? Fret no more. For whipped cream that lasts…
*Use 2 tablespoons of neufchatel cheese mixed with 2 tablespoons of lowfat or nonfat sour cream. Laugh all you want but a little less fat does help.
*Other suggestions include using gelatin, cornstarch, creme fraiche. I used my suggestion and it worked perfectly and it’s slightly healthier – if you don’t count all the sugar and whipped cream.
Make the meringue cookies first then worry about the whipped cream filling. Trust me, you’ll have plenty of time for whipping cream.
Nutrition:
Serving size: 1 Mini Meringue Cake with Lemon Whipped Cream Filling
Calories: 198
Fat: 9.0g
Saturated fat: 5.6g
Cholesterol: 31mg
Sodium: 74mg
Potassium: 88mg
Carbohydrates: 26.5g
Fiber: NA
Sugars: 25.7g
Protein: 3.3g
Notes on serving:
For Mini Meringue Cakes, serve whole and let everyone have fun eating them with a fork and a knife or with their fingers. For larger Meringue cakes, use a cake knife and slice straight down in the center of the cake and then quickly make a slice. In this calorie-slashing collection, The Bikini Chef® Susan Irby offers recipes for switching up ingredients that keep calories to a minimum. Complete with serving-size suggestions and “Skinny Secret” shortcuts to trim calories in little ways, here you’ll get expertly crafted recipes that include offerings for every meal of the day!
