In America, French meringue is one of those underrated desserts that you don’t see served very often at home or in restaurants. But for Australians like Simple Cake author and Sydney native Odette Williams, learning to make meringue is a rite of passage, and the tips for its success are passed down along the way. In this primer, she guides us through the secrets and shares her recipe for easy meringues. Baked into crisp shells with gooey, marshmallow-like centers, they’re the ideal showcase for all kinds of ingredients—and the perfect starter dessert for building your meringue confidence.
Once you’ve nailed the meringue basics, or if you’re looking for more of a challenge this weekend, we’ve also got you covered—with the ultimate Baked Alaska. The 19th-century American dessert of layered ice cream cloaked with meringue is a true showstopper. Our version starts with a base of flourless chocolate cake and adds three types of ice cream separated by crumbled chocolate cookies. The best part? It’s topped with a splash of rum and set on fire for dramatic effect. Beyond these, we have fruit-filled pavlovas, puffy floating islands swimming in a pool of crème anglaise, and all kinds of marvelous meringue desserts.
