Lemon Curd Meringue Nests

We’re nearing the end of March. Which, amongst other things, means that Passover begins this very Saturday night.

Commencing, PASSOVER DESSERTS. Also commencing, BRIGHTER, SPRINGIER DESSERTS. Just like, in general. Because it’s almost April hellllllo.

YESSSSSSS. Very excited. This one is a good one. These Passover lemon curd meringue nests ring in the season and holiday and dessert time for all the occasions and ages MOST adequately.

Not gonna lie. These lemon curd meringue nests came out like EVEN BETTER and OUTSTANDINGLY MORE GORGEOUS than I was expecting them to. And I was expecting great results, to begin with.

I mean. All I knew I wanted when I envisioned these meringue nests was a mini, chewy, sweet, airy, marshmallow-like meringue nest that was piped high and narrow and filled with a velvety, tangy, bright, addictive lemon curd.

But that’s where my brainstorming ended. Truth is. The fruit for these meringue nests were a last minute addition. Right before photographing these, I decided that some fresh fruit would be a beautiful and delicious garnish to these lemon meringue nests. And they are! A beautiful and delicious garnish! Right?

First things first. The lemon curd.

Literally, first. I make the lemon curd first. Before the meringue. For a couple reasons:

• I want the lemon curd to have ample time to cool and firm up a bit in the fridge.

• I bake my meringues at a higher temperature, which requires much less baking time, and also produces meringues that are way chewier and less dry than your average. So. My point is. It’s not like the meringue nests are sitting there in the oven and baking for hours. Nah. By the time the curd is cooled, the meringues are ready to be filled, pretty much.

Now. This lemon curd. It is so rich and flavorful. It’s so tart and fresh and bright and citrusy. It’s got the perfect sweetness to tanginess ratio. And it’s so velvety and creamy and smooth.

I highly advise eating the leftovers that don’t fit into your meringue nests by the ladle-full.

As for the meringue nests.

I utilize the double boiler method, which I find yields a stiffer, glossier meringue batter that is less finicky and bakes up into ideal meringues (you can read up some more about this method here).

These meringue nests are light and airy. But also. Not dry and crumbly. They’ve got chewy insides and crunchy outsides.

They are sweet and sticky. And almost marshmallow-like. They are tender and melt-in-your-mouth, and the sweetness pairs so wonderfully with the tart lemon curd.

In other words. They are perfect.

Light, chewy, crunchy, sweet, marshmallow-like meringue nests. Filled with a citrusy, tart, velvety, addictive lemon curd. Garnished with juicy, fresh fruit.

Lemon curd meringue nests — you make forgoing gluten look easy.

Lemon Curd Meringue Nests

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Yield: varies greatly depending on size, but about 15 nests

Lemon Curd:
4 whole large eggs
4 large egg yolks (save all 4 egg whites for meringue)
Zest and juice of 3 lemons
1 ¼ cups granulated sugar
5 teaspoons potato starch
Pinch of salt
½ cup coconut oil* or butter

Meringue Nests:
4 large egg whites (saved from lemon curd)
1 cup granulated sugar
Pinch of salt
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

-Fruit for garnishing, if desired

1. Lemon Curd: whisk together the eggs, yolks, and lemon juice and zest in a large metal bowl (or any heat-safe bowl). Stir together the sugar, potato starch, and salt and add into egg mixture, whisking to combine.

2. Place the metal bowl over a simmering pot of water, creating a double boiler. Whisk/stir mixture occasionally over a medium flame until it thickens (about 6-11 minutes). 

3. Remove bowl from heat and stir in coconut oil/butter right away until it melts and is fully incorporated. Strain the curd to remove any lemon pits or clumps. Cover and chill in fridge while preparing meringue nests.

4. Meringue Nests: preheat oven to 275 F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

5. Pour the egg whites, sugar, and salt into the bowl of an electric stand mixer (or any heat-safe bowl) and place the bowl over a simmering pot of water, creating a double boiler. Whisk the mixture frequently for a few minutes until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is warm to the touch (110 F). 

8. Transfer the bowl to your machine fitted with a whisk attachment. Add in vanilla extract and whip the mixture for 6-8 minutes, starting on a low speed and gradually increasing to the highest speed, until stiff, glossy peaks form.

9. Transfer meringue to a piping bag fitted with a medium/large round tip. Pipe a spiral base of desired size, staring in center and working outwards, and without lifting the tip, pipe a few more spirals on top of the outer edge, creating a high nest. Alternatively, drop a large spoonful of meringue onto baking sheet and swirl in a circle, creating a large hollow in the center with the spoon.

10. Bake until the bottoms of nests are dry and lightly golden and nests can be cleanly lifted off the sheet, about 20-45 minutes (varies depending on size of your nests). Let cool before spooning lemon curd into the nests. Garnish curd with fresh fruit if desired.

*Note: use refined coconut oil if you don’t want any coconut flavor in your curd.