Dreamy Chocolate Easter Meringue Nests

By Rebecca St.Clair

The cutest little Easter meringue nests with a rich chocolate topping! Whimsical and elegant, these nest-shaped French meringue cookies are the epitome of sweetness.

With a glossy, delicate exterior and a light soft centre, each meringue is infused with vanilla and then topped with rich chocolate and coconut.

Their delicate texture and delicious chocolate nest make them perfect for holding chocolate eggs for aÙù fun Easter treat.

Easter Meringue Nests Ratio

There is no hard and fast rule for the sugar to egg white ratio when making French meringue. A good rule of thumb is a 1:1 ratio of sugar and egg whites, however some recipes call for up to a 2:1 ratio of sugar and egg white.

You can adjust the amount of sugar used depending on your own sweetness preference. The more sugar used to make the meringue nests, the more bulk is added into the final product.

Tips for Making Extra Fluffy Easter Meringue Nests

To ensure your meringue nests are extra light and airy.

• Whip the egg whites first, before adding any sugar
• Add the sugar in very slowly, while constantly whipping the egg whites
• Continue to whip the meringue until all of the sugar is dissolved
• Use the meringue immediately. French meringue quickly starts to disintegrate if not use right away.
• Use room temperature egg whites

French Meringue vs. Swiss Meringues vs. Italian Meringues

All of these types of meringue are made by quickly incorporating air into egg whites. This results in a soft, light, and creamy white cloud, perfect for desserts. However, each type of meringue varies slightly in the way they are made.

Italian Meringue

Typically the most stable form of meringue. To make Italian meringue, sugar and water is heated until dissolved into a syrup. This syrup is then whipped into the egg white mixture, until you have a light as air consistency that also holds it’s shape.

Swiss Meringue

To make this type of meringue, a bowl is placed over a pot of simmering water. Using this indirect heat, the egg whites are mixed with sugar until dissolved. The mixture is then whipped until soft and creamy. Since the egg whites are cooked before mixing, it can be used as is.

French Meringue

This is the type of meringue that I am using for these Easter meringue nests today. This meringue is super simple to make and requires no heating of any ingredients first. To make this meringue, egg whites are whipped until light and foamy.

The sugar is then very slowly added into the mixture while still beating. It is then whipped until very light and holds a stiff peak. Since no heat is used in making French meringue, it should be baked before serving.

Tips for Making Foolproof Easter Meringue Nests

While the process of making meringue nests is straightforward and easy, there are a few tips that will ensure the success for your whimsical Easter treats.

• Make sure you have a clean bowl and beaters. Any residue containing fat will not allow the egg whites to whip into an extra light and fluffy meringue.
• Separate the eggs into a small bowl before adding them to the mixing bowl. It is extremely important that the egg yolks do not break. This recipe uses only egg whites. The yolk from the egg contains fat and if it breaks and even a small amount gets mixed in, the meringue will not whip into a soft light-as-air cloud.
• Room temperature egg whites will whip more easily.
• Whip the egg whites to a soft peak before adding in the sugar.
• Add the sugar in very slowly. I use a spoon to add in the sugar instead of pouring it into the mixture. The sugar should be added in as the egg whites are being whipped.
• Continue to whip the meringue until you feel no grains of sugar. The sugar should be completely dissolved into the mixture.
• Use the meringue immediately. French meringue will start to melt and disintegrate the longer it is left out.

How to Store Easter Meringue Nests

It is best to store the meringue and the chocolate coconut mixture separately. Make the nests in advance and then make the chocolate coconut mixture and assemble with the chocolate eggs just before serving.

Room temperature

French Meringue cookies can be stored at room temperature for up to 2 weeks. Keep them sealed in an airtight container to ensure no added moisture or humidity affects the cookies.

Fridge

The fridge is not the best option for storing meringues. This will result in your cookies loosing their crunchy crispy exterior.

Freezer

These French meringue cookies can be made in advance and stored in the freezer.

• Allow the cookies to dry out and cool completely
• Place in an airtight container
• Store in the freezer for up to 1 month

How to make Easter Meringue Nests

Ingredients

Meringues

6 egg whites

1 ¼ cups white sugar 250 g

½ teaspoon cream of tartar 2 g

1 teaspoon vanilla extract 5 ml

Topping

1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut 100 g

 ¼ cup butter 60 g

¾ cup white sugar 150 g

¼ cup milk 60 ml

3 Tablespoons cocoa powder 25 g

½ teaspoon salt 2 g

1 teaspoons vanilla extract 5 ml

Mini Chocolate Easter Eggs

Method

Meringues

1. Add the egg whites to a large bowl and mix in the cream of tartar.
2. Whip this until the egg whites are soft, fluffy, and starts to hold a soft peak.
3. Add in the sugar, very slowly, while still beating. I use a spoon for this.
4. Beat in the vanilla.
5. Whip the mixture until you have a very light, creamy, and shiny meringue that holds a stiff peak.
6. Preheat the oven to 225 °F (105 °C.)
7. Transfer the mixture to a piping bag and pipe into little nest shapes. (See video for further instructions) Alternatively, you can place the meringue into a large sealable freezer bag and cut a small hole in the corner to use as a piping bag.

8. Bake for 1 hour and 30 minutes to 2 hours depending on the size of the nests. They are done when dried and solid.

9. Remove from the oven and cool before decorating

Topping

1. To a sauce pot, over medium heat, mix the butter, white sugar, milk, salt, cocoa powder, and vanilla.
2. Simmer 3-4 minutes to dissolve the sugar.

3. Remove from the heat and stir in the coconut.

4. Set aside for a few minutes for the mixture to start to thicken.

Assembly

1. Arrange 2 Tablespoons of the coconut and chocolate mixture into each meringue nest.
2. Place 3 of the mini easter eggs into each nest.
3. Allow the Easter meringue nests to cool completely and fully solidify.
4. Once the nests are cooled and set, they are ready to serve.

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