These brown sugar meringues combine airy, rich dark chocolate peanut butter ganache and tender, aromatic rhubarb. Perfectly balanced with the contrasting textures and flavours of golden caster sugar and dark brown sugar, this recipe is sure to impress.
With a prep time of just 25 minutes and a slow, gentle bake, these meringues transform into crispy, golden treats, ideal for any gathering.
Ingredients
Method
Preheat oven to 110°C fan-forced (130°C conventional). Line 2 large oven trays with baking paper. Put egg whites, cream of tartar and golden caster sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer and stir well. Set over a saucepan of barely simmering water and heat until sugar dissolves. Put bowl in mixer and beat on high, using whisk attachment, for 5 minutes or until thick and glossy.
Scatter over brown sugar, fold in gently, then spoon egg white mixture into a piping bag (without a nozzle). Pipe onto prepared trays to make 16 round peaks 7cm wide. Bake for 4 hours or until crisp. Remove from oven.
Meanwhile, combine chocolate and peanut butter in a medium bowl. Put cream and vanilla in a small saucepan over a medium heat and bring to a simmer. Pour hot cream mixture over chocolate mixture and whisk until smooth. Set aside ganache to cool.
Increase oven temperature to 180°C. Cut rhubarb into 6cm lengths and put in a medium bowl. Use a mortar and pestle to pound orange zest, sage leaves, vanilla bean seeds and caster sugar until smooth, then toss with rhubarb. Arrange rhubarb mixture in a baking dish and drizzle with balsamic. Cover dish with a sheet of slightly dampened baking paper and bake for 20 minutes or until rhubarb is just tender. Allow to cool.
Spread flat-side of a meringue disc with a little ganache and sandwich with another disc. Repeat to sandwich all meringues.
Serve meringues with rhubarb and a shard of choc bark decorated with strawberries, pistachios and petals, if using.
Which sugar is better for meringue?
Generally speaking, golden caster sugar is generally better than dark brown sugar.
However, like in this recipe, using both golden caster sugar and dark brown sugar in a meringue adds complexity to the flavour and texture of the final product. Here’s why:
Golden caster sugar:
- Smooth texture: Golden caster sugar dissolves more easily into the egg whites, helping to create a smooth and stable meringue with a fine, airy texture.
- Light caramel flavour: It adds a subtle caramel-like flavour without overpowering the meringue.
Dark brown sugar:
- Rich flavour: Dark brown sugar contains molasses, imparting a richer flavour to the meringue. This can add a complex, slightly caramelised taste.
- Moisture and chewiness: The molasses in dark brown sugar adds moisture, contributing to a slightly chewy texture in the meringue.
Combined benefits:
- Flavour complexity: Combining the two sugars balances the lightness of golden caster sugar with the richness of dark brown sugar, resulting in a more refined flavour.
- Texture variation: Using both sugars can create a meringue with a crisp exterior and a slightly chewy interior, providing an interesting textural contrast.
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