I’m currently having a moment with Nutella, as I have done many times before. Just a few days ago I had the idea to incorporate some Nutella into the chocolate chip cookies from my cookbook, and today my living room has been overcome with mini Nutella meringues.
Nutella mini meringues
I am not the inventor or the master of mini meringues. I first came across them at Ottolenghi’s deli in Notting Hill when I was visiting my sister about 3 years ago. They were delicate, smooth and beautiful, and covered with a beautiful dusting of dried raspberry powder. I took them home to my sister’s house, snapped a quick Iphone photo of them atop an ugly white stool (the only white surface I could find) and uploaded the shot without too much more thought. To this today, I believe it might be one of my most liked photos, ever. The good old days!
These Nutella versions might not result in the same Instagram glory of old, but the goalposts have very much changed, and having a living room filled with Nutella meringues is enough glory for me right now. These Nutella mini meringues are gluten free and FODMAP friendly. If you’re not a fan of Nutella for any reason, you can also substitute 30-50g of melted dark chocolate in it’s place.
More gluten free dessert recipes
- Pavlova with dairy free raspberry curd
- Dairy free gluten free lime curd tart
- Easy gluten free chocolate cake
- Gluten free rhubarb cake
- Low FODMAP date bark bites
Nutella mini meringues
Ingredients
- 2 extra large egg whites
- 110g (1/2 cup) caster sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon corn flour
- 2 tablespoons Nutella
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 120C/250F.
- Place the egg whites into the bowl of a super clean kitchen mixer with the whisk attachment. You can also use good ol’ fashioned beaters and a bowl, but since acquiring/eternally borrowing my Mum’s stand mixer, I have not looked back.
- Whisk the eggs on a high speed until they are frothy and voluminous. This should take around 3 minutes. Gradually add the sugar (I add 1/4 cup at a time) and allow it to incorporate fully, before gradually adding the next 1/4 cup. Allow the sugar to whisk in for an additional few minutes, before adding the cream of tartar followed by the baking powder and cornflour/cornstarch. These all ensure the meringue is super dry inside. Turn the mixer down to add these – otherwise you'll be enveloped in a cloud of white air.
- Finally, add the vanilla bean paste. I turn my mixer off to add this, because otherwise it tends to get entangled in the whisk attachment. Mix to incorporate. The meringue should now be glossy and super firm – mine normally forms a solid meringue trail when I lift the beater up. Keep whisking on high if your meringue is not firm.
- Over a gentle heat or in the microwave, heat the Nutella until it is pliable.
- Take your piping bag and ensure the hole is about 1-2cm in width. I didn't use a nozzle for these, but you can if you are more advanced than I am at piping. Place the piping bag in a long, tall glass, and flip the edges over the side, to give you easy access to the nozzle end of the bag. Use a spoon to spread the melted Nutella all around the inside of the piping bag from the nozzle right to the top of the glass. Make sure you don't just plop all the Nutella into the bottom of the piping bag, or the first couple will be pure Nutella. Not that that's an entirely bad thing.
- Spray a large baking tray with spray oil, and cover that with a piece of baking paper. The oil will help the paper stay in place when you are piping.
- Spoon the meringue into the piping bag, flipping the sides of the bag up over the glass as you fill it up. Once all the meringue is in and the bag is full, twist the top end, to ensure no meringue can escape.
- Using firm, even, pressure, pipe the meringues, leaving a little space between each. You get a feel for the type of pressure and speed you need to use quickly. Continue piping until you've used all the mixture – how many you make will depend heavily on how big you decide to pipe the meringues.
- Place the meringues in the oven, as far away from the heating grill as possible (ie if the heat from your oven emanates from the top, try to put them down the bottom) and set the timer for two and a half hours. I like to make these as the last thing at night, and leave them to cool in the oven.
- Once the timer has gone off, crack the oven door ajar (I use a wooden spoon) and leave to cool completely. Store in an airtight container.
This is just so beautiful and so very easy! Just thinking why I never thought of trying out meringues with Nutella. Giving this a try very soon 🙂
Thanks Sarah! I was initially surprised the Nutella didn’t weigh down the meringue but it worked really well. Hope you enjoy xx
If I don’t have corn flour on hand, what other flours do you recommend? Banana flour? Almond flour? Love your site! Just discovered it!
Hi Hazel! The closest alternative is tapioca flour – anything heavier and it will weigh down the delicate meringue. The flour serves to stabilize the meringue – to stop it from weeping and overcooking, so at a pinch I would suggest omitting the flour, and just making sure you don’t overbeat or overcook the meringues 🙂
Hi, just an observation, in recipe ingredients you wrote 2 egg whites , using 700g of eggs? Some typing error I imagine. Just letting you know.
Hello! What I mean by that is that I use eggs that weigh 700g each. I’m not sure if this is a system that exists in every country but in Australia the average weight of each egg is displayed on the box. I will amend that to make it clearer though, thank you!