Chocolate swirl meringues

Meringues are the most pleasurable desserts to make from start to finish. From separating the eggs, whisking up a sky of fluffy clouds, shaping them into pretty petticoats, these sweet confections are simply magical. When I was small, I always imagined clouds tasted like vanilla meringues. Slightly crisp on the outside, creamy yet airy inside. As intimidating as they may look, meringues are actually very simple to make as long as you follow a few basic rules. Always whisk egg whites at room temperature, add sugar little by little, and try to keep the whisk as horizontal as possible. It is similar to creating foam, which is a collection of bubbles. The cornflour acts as a binding agent, and the sugar stiffens the foam. The best part of these meringues is folding in the cocoa powder. It instantly forms beautiful long ribbon-like swirls. When baked the cocoa somehow melts inside creating a meringue filled with a soft chocolate fondant. I call this culinary art. These chocolate swirl meringues are timeless delights. I love them best served with crème Chantilly (whipped cream) and semi-drenched in a luxurious dark chocolate sauce.

Ingredients:
6 extra-large egg whites, at room temperature
1 + 1/2 tsp cornflour (I use maïzana)
2 tbsp good-quality cocoa powder
A pinch of fine salt
320 g caster sugar

Preheat the oven to 140° C. Line a baking tray with parchment paper.

Meringues:(makes about 5-6 meringues)

In a large glass bowl, whisk the egg whites (I use a pair of electric whisks) and salt on a high-speed until frothy – try to keep the whisk position as horizontal as possible. Add the cornflour and sugar (1-2 tbsp at a time) gradually and continue whisking. You should add the sugar in small quantities until the end of the process. When the egg whites form stiff peaks (this usually takes about 10-15 minutes), gently fold in the cocoa powder. You should create nice swirls in the egg whites. With the help of two large slotted spoons, spoon the egg whites onto the parchment-lined baking tray. The meringues should be about 10-12 cm large and 6 cm high. ‘Twirl’ your spoon around and finish off with a spiky peak. Finally ‘dust’ some cocoa powder on top of each meringue and use a small fork to gently draw a few more swirls.
Bake for 1 hour 10 minutes, switch off the oven, and leave them to cool inside the oven with the door slightly open for 15 minutes.

Chocolate sauce:

40 g good-quality cocoa powder
100 ml water
50 g sugar
40 g golden syrup (or corn syrup)
20 g dark chocolate, broken into small pieces

Mix the cocoa powder, water, sugar, golden syrup in a small saucepan and bring to a soft boil. Remove from heat and add dark chocolate pieces. Stir until the chocolate has melted. Set aside at room temperature for an hour before serving.

These little ‘meringues’ have been out of the oven for 3 weeks!

50 thoughts on “Chocolate swirl meringues

  1. These are beautiful. I’ve been hankering to make meringues but it’s been too humid until recently. Your gorgeous photographs reminded me why I was hoping to have them soon. They’ll be divine with the chocolate sauce!

  2. Oh so pretty! And as usual, the photos are beautiful. The chocolate sauce and Chantilly cream look like delicious accompaniments. I think I am going to have to try my luck with your recipe. Thanks for sharing! Hopefully your new little “meringues” are behaving themselves.

  3. This post made me smile because last night my children asked if we could eat merengues for dinner! Pasta was my reply 🙂 Your merengues do look beautiful x

  4. This was the first dessert I yearned to make as a child because they looked like they fell from heaven. These beauties are rustic and lovely, simply innocent and decadent all at the same time!

    1. After all these years I think the secret is to drizzle very small amounts of sugar while whisking the egg whites. Have you ever tried making meringues with cornflour (cornstarch). With this recipe you should achieve ‘de très belles meringues’! ps: you must pick a day when it’s not too humid.

    1. Dear Joanna!

      Bonjour from Médoc! I am so flattered to see your post. Thank you! It makes me so happy to see you liked the chicken with cashew nuts recipe – what beautiful photography and food styling – those bowls and chopsticks are gorgeous.

      Bonne journée!
      Mimix

  5. Salut Mimi,
    I came across your amazing blog / site via Joanna from Liebesbotschaft and I have to say: I am blown away!!! Unbelievably beautiful pictures, tasty recipes, lovely children and a very inspiring you! Thank you and I will visit more often from now on!
    I am a German living in Finland and we have an overload of berries and mushrooms here – I really could use some recipes, especially for mushrooms 😉
    Terveisiä Suomesta (Greetings from Finland),
    Annegret alias Appelgretchen

    1. Bonjour! I know what you mean, I always find a way to make something out of leftovers. Here’s a few good ideas: hollandaise sauce, crème anglaise (custard sauce)- so lovely served warm or cold with chocolate cake, custard base for fruit tarts, béarnaise sauce. And you can make a wonderful nourishing hair mask (mix yolks with 2 tbsp olive oil 2 tbsp honey) – it works wonders! Mimi

  6. oh. goodness. i’ve just stumbled over, thanks to deb at smitten kitchen, and must stop to exclaim, over these and every last little thing: lovely.
    merveilleuse. absolument parfait.

    so pleased to have found your beautiful space. and so happy to be soon making these excellent meringues.

    molly

  7. Bonjour! Je voudrais essayer cette recette qui a l’air délicieuse, mais qu’est-ce que le “caster sugar”; du sucre glace ou du sucre en poudre en blanc?
    Par avance merci 🙂
    Eléonore. (Elé1301 sur instatgram)

  8. Merci beaucoup Mimi de partager toutes vos recettes, vos jolie photos dans votre blog qui est vraiment super! Aujourd’hui le temps est trop humide pour faire les meringues, alors je vais essayer votre recette du gâteau chocolat à la crème de marron! Il me tarde de le goûter!
    Je vous souhaite une très belle journée 🙂
    Merci encore!
    Eléonore.

    1. Bonjour Eleonore! Oui, c’est vrai que l’humidité n’est pas un bon facteur pour les meringues! Les blancs d’oeufs montent plus difficilement. Pour le gâteau chocolat/crème de marron, je vous conseille de bien laisser le refroidir avant de la dégustation. Bonne journée! Mimi

  9. Merci beaucoup pour toutes vos recettes et votre jolie blog!
    Le temps était trop humide hier pour les meringues alors j’ai fait le gâteau chocolat et crème de marron et c’est un vrai délice!
    Merci Mimi 🙂

    Eléonore.

  10. Hi Mimi! I made this delightful recipe a few days ago. It was my first experience with merginues and I have a question about the texture. After baking my meringues fell a little and they were still quite soft on the inside. Is this to be expected or should I have baked them a little longer?

    Thanks Tina

    1. Hi Tina,
      The meringues should be crunchy on the outside, and slightly softer inside. When you add the cream and chocolate sauce, the textures are perfectly blended. Perhaps you can bake them a little longer, making sure they don’t brown too much. I also leave them to cool in the oven, so they don’t crack too easily with the change of temperature. The best tip for meringues is pouring the sugar as slowly and little as possible – it needs to really blend well. If the sugar isn’t properly whisked, the meringues leak and get too soft. I hope this helps! Have a lovely day! Mimix

  11. Dear Mimi,
    I am so so happy !!
    I just made these fabulous chocolate meringues…I tried to make meringues before, but I was never impressed of the way they came out. But today I decided to try your way and I followed all your suggestions. And what came out from my oven is simply perfection….so fluffy, so light, so royal….
    I became courageous now and for sure I will try your other meringues recipes.
    Thank you for making me happy today 🙂

  12. Hi Mimi!
    I made these meringues as a test run for an Easter dessert and they were so wonderful! They were probably my proudest accomplishment as a baker and that chocolate sauce is so incredible! Thank you so much for posting such amazing recipes!

  13. Your meringues look beautiful!! My friend and I made mushroom meringues a few months ago. Within hours of being cooked, they melted into little puddles. 🙁 I guess humidity makes them melt.
    I want to lick my screen right now. Your pictures and the meringues just look so delicious!! Oh, yeah.. And those puppies!!! So adorable!

  14. Dear Mimi,

    Thanks a million for sharing this recipe! I have had quite a few meringues in my life (from cafes mostly), and NONE was even close to be as good as this one from your recipe. I have made your meringues 3 times now since you posted it. Everybody loved it, this recipe has made me start to love meringue.

    I’d really really like to share your recipe, and I wonder if it is okay for you? I would quote you and link to this website. I’d love to share your blog with my followers because it’s amazing. Would that be okay?

    Anyway, greetings from Helsinki. Love and hugs.

    Eva

  15. Mimi, wow! These were amazing! I made them last Friday as dessert for a mini fundraising dinner and they were perfect and everybody loved them! Thank you for the recipe!

  16. Mimi, I tried these today and oh dear – they were almost liquid inside. I cooked them a little longer, and in the end I’ve just left them in the turned-off oven. I read the warning about humidity – its a hot day for New Zealand today (26C) with 63% humidity but I hoped that would not be too high. I assume my desire to make them for a special dinner tonight overtook my common sense.
    I love your blog and your book (my sister sent it to me from England) and I will keep on cooking!

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