Easter is just around the corner and what better way to celebrate the season than with a sweet and delicious treat? These easy Easter Meringue Nests are the perfect dessert for your Easter party! These light and airy meringue nests are crunchy on the outside, but soft and sweet on the inside. They’re filled with tangy lemon curd and topped with chocolate Easter eggs for festive spring vibes. 

Meringue or Pavlova

Meringue and pavlova are two desserts that are often confused with each other. Meringue is the crispy shell made from egg whites and sugar. Meringue is often baked until completely dry and crispy. You can use a meringue for all kinds of desserts or just eat them like that as a sweet cookie.

Pavlova is a complete dessert dish that consists of a meringue base but is then topped with whipped cream and fruit. The meringue in a pavlova is often baked for a shorter amount of time, resulting in a shell that’s soft and almost marshmallowy on the inside. 

Ingredients for these Easter Meringue Nests

To make the meringue nests you need the following ingredients: 

• Egg whites: Egg whites will become the base of the shells. Make sure they are at room temperature and that there is no trace of egg yolk in the egg whites. For this recipe you need 4 large egg whites.
• Caster sugar: Sugar adds sweetness and structure to the meringues. Caster sugar has a finer structure than granulated sugar, which makes it easier to dissolve in the egg whites. 
• Lemon juice: The acid in lemon juice helps create a more stable meringue. You can also use cream of tartar or white vinegar instead. 
• Vanilla extract: A teaspoon of vanilla extract gives the meringues a delicious marshmallow flavour. 

Here’s what you need for the topping: 

• Lemon curd: Creamy and zingy lemon curd adds a touch of bright yellow colour and a delicious fresh and sweet element to this dessert. 
• Mini chocolate Easter eggs: Mini chocolate Easter eggs will complete the Easter vibe of this sweet dessert. 

You also need a lined baking sheet to bake the meringue nests on. Use a stand mixer or handheld mixer with a whisk attachment to beat the egg whites. Use either a spoon or a piping bag with a star nozzle to form the meringue nests. 

How to make meringue nests?

Step 1: Make the meringue

We start by making the meringue. You need egg whites, caster sugar, lemon juice and vanilla extract. The vanilla extract is optional, but it adds a delicious marshmallow flavour to the shells. 

Important: Your bowl and whisk must be absolutely fat-free otherwise the egg whites will not get fluffy. Make sure there are also no traces of egg yolk in there!

Step 1.1: Separate your eggs

If you start with whole eggs make sure to separate them one at a time into a small bowl to ensure no yolk gets mixed with the egg whites. Once you’ve separated the egg white from the yolk add the white to your mixing bowl. Then separate your second egg and continue until you’ve separated all four eggs. Doing it one egg at a time is your insurance in case one egg breaks and some egg yolk comes into the white. Remember, to make a meringue there must be no traces of fats or egg yolk in the bowl otherwise the egg whites will not get fluffy. 

Step 1.2: Whip your meringue mixture

The easiest way to make meringue is by using a stand mixer, but a handheld mixer will work too. Whisk the egg whites on medium speed until frothy, then add the lemon juice. Keep mixing until the egg whites hold soft peaks. 

Now while you continue to mix slowly add one tablespoon of sugar at a time until you’ve added all the sugar to the egg whites. Now, add a teaspoon of vanilla extract. Increase the speed to medium-high and continue to mix until the egg whites have turned a shiny white texture and stiff peaks form. This will take between 5-10 minutes.

Check to see if your meringue is ready for the next step: 

Take a little bit of meringue between your thumb and index finger and feel if the mixture is smooth and the sugar has completely dissolved. If you still feel sugar granules then keep mixing. If it feels smooth check if you’ve reached stiff peaks. This means that if you remove the whisk attachment the egg white mixture should stay in a stiff peak on the whisk. (see photo above). 

Step 2: Forming the meringue nests

Prep a baking tray with a piece of parchment paper. You can make the nests freehand, or give yourself a bit of guidance by drawing 9 circles (8 cm / 3 inch in diameter) on the paper. (Tip: use a mug or other round object to trace circles on the paper.) Then turn the paper over so the ink or pencil is on the underside of the paper. The circle will still shine through to give you guidance but no ink will come into contact with the food. 

Stick the parchment paper to the baking sheet with a little bit of the meringue mixture. This way the paper will stay put and not move around. 

Now it’s time to create the nests. You have two options here: use a spoon or use a piping bag with a large star nozzle. 

Option 1: spoon method

If you use a spoon simply dollop the meringue into 9 heaps and carefully shape them until they’re round. Use the spoon to make a bit of a well in the middle to make a nest shape. 

Option 2: piping bag method

If you use a piping bag then prepare the bag with a large star nozzle. Now pipe around each circle and fill completely. Use a spoon to slightly flatten the middle and make a bit of an indentation. Now pipe another circle on top of the outer edge, this way you create a higher border with a pretty shape. 

Step 3: Bake the meringue in the oven

Place the sheet with meringue nests into a preheated oven. The oven should be preheated to 100 ℃ (212 ℉). Leave them in for about 1,5 hours. They should be crispy and dry on the outside, without any browning. 

Step 4: Cool down

Leave the door to the oven slightly ajar so moisture can escape and leave the meringue nests in the oven to cool completely. 

Step 5: Fill and decorate with Easter eggs

Once the meringue nests are completely cooled they can either be stored until use or directly filled. The meringue will melt when it comes into contact with moisture so only fill them if you plan on serving immediately. 

Add about a tablespoon of lemon curd to each meringue nest. Next, decorate them with a couple of chocolate Easter eggs. Use as many or as few as you like. Serve immediately. 

Tips & Alternatives

• Make sure your mixing bowl and beaters are clean and completely fat-free before whisking the egg whites. 
• Adding a small amount of lemon juice helps stabilize the egg whites, you can also use cream of tartar or a couple of drops of white vinegar. 
• Instead of lemon curd, you can use other fruit curds such as passionfruit or orange curd. If you want a sweeter option then fruit jams and preserves are also delicious!
• Change it up with some whipped cream and fresh fruit to create a lighter and less sweet version of these nests. 
• Here are the ratios you need to know to always make perfect meringues. Use 1/4 cup of caster sugar (50 grams) per egg white. One large egg white will weigh around 30 grams. This way you can always measure out all your ingredients. 
• Separate your eggs one egg at a time in separate bowls to prevent any contamination if one egg yolk happens to break accidentally. You can also use ready-separated liquid egg whites from the supermarket. 
• Don’t throw away the egg yolks. Add them to your omelette or turn it into a lemon curd, mayonnaise or hollandaise sauce!

Here are some more sweet treats for your Easter celebrations: 

• Try our foolproof Lemon Curd recipe that will create a luscious, velvety smooth and zingy curd that you’ll want to slather on everything.
• Make this Eton Mess with Lemon Curd and Fresh Berries. It puts a zesty spin on this classic dessert that makes it perfect for spring and summer!
• If you love baking you probably use loads of vanilla extract. This Homemade Vanilla Extract is cheaper and tastes way better than most supermarket varieties. It’s also super easy to make with just 2 ingredients!
• Serve these gorgeous Apple Rose Puff Pastry Roses during your next spring brunch or picnic. 
• Serve this festive Cranberry Brie Crescent Wreath for brunch or as an appetizer, your guests will gobble up this wreath in no time!
• Make these naturally Pink Ruby Chocolate Covered Dates for your next special occasion! The perfect sweet treat, all you need is 4 ingredients and 15 minutes.

Try these savoury spring-inspired dishes: 

• Serve these Truffle Deviled Eggs at your holiday brunch! These delicious appetizers can be made ahead of time and a touch of truffle gives them an elegant twist.
• This Classic Chunky Egg Salad is the perfect spring-inspired topping for a sandwich or wrap. To make this fresh and tasty egg salad you only need simple ingredients and pantry staples.
• This Tuna Pasta Salad is full of colourful veggies and can be prepped ahead of time. Bring it to your next picnic or BBQ!
• This mouthwatering Spring Risotto with Green Asparagus and Peas is full of fragrant fresh herbs, luscious green spring vegetables and a hint of lemon.