Black Forest Meringues – Crisp meringue swirled with dark chocolate, layered together with kirsch-soaked cherries and whipped Chantilly cream.
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When it comes to my food I’m a big fan of substance over style. The most important thing for me is that it tastes good, even if I’ve made a bit of a mess serving it up.
However, sometimes I want everything. I want a dessert that tastes amazing AND is as pretty as a picture. That’s where these Black Forest Meringues come in, with their elegant stacks of chocolate swirled meringue, layered together with piped whipped Chantilly cream and kirsch-soaked cherries. As if that wasn’t enough there is literally even a cherry on top 😀.
Black Forest Meringue FAQS
If it’s your first time making this recipe or you have a question then please take a moment to have a read through my FAQs for some extra tips and allergen information.
- Can they be made in advance and how should they be stored?
- Can I swirl the dark chocolate into the meringue before piping?
- Which piping nozzle did you use?
- I love the sound of this dessert but I can’t be bothered with all that piping. Can I still make it?
- Can I adjust this recipe to make more meringue stacks?
- What is this dessert free from? / Who is it suitable for?
Can they be made in advance and how should they be stored?
The meringues can be made in advance, but I wouldn’t build the meringue stacks until just before serving as the cream and kirsch will soften the meringue.
If you want to make your meringues in advance they can either be stored in an airtight container for a few days or frozen for a few months.
Can I swirl the dark chocolate into the meringue before piping?
No.
In the recipe I recommend piping your meringue into circles (or spreading the meringue using the back of a spoon) and then swirling in the dark chocolate. If you decided to add the dark chocolate to the meringue and then pipe it (in the hope of making it even swirlier), it sadly doesn’t work. The moisture in the meringue causes the chocolate to seize, going hard and lumpy. All it’ll do it clog your piping nozzle and it won’t look nearly as neat.
Which piping nozzle did you use?
I used a JEM1B nozzle. However, any similar-sized nozzle, or even just a trimmed piping bag with no nozzle, could be used.
I love the sound of this dessert but I can’t be bothered with all that piping. Can I still make it?
Absolutely.
I decided to make this pretty, but you can get all the flavour going down the Eton mess-style route, where you crush the meringue and mix it all up in a glass.
You could also add the cream and cherries to meringue nests or a larger pavlova base.
Can I adjust this recipe to make more meringue stacks?
Yes. The recipe can be easily factored up to make as many meringue stacks as you like.
It is easiest if you make multiples of 4 (as each egg white produces enough meringue for 4 stacks). However, if you would like a different number then you can either freeze the excess meringue to use another time, or use liquid egg whites and weigh out just the amount you need.
What is this dessert free from? / Who is it suitable for?
The ingredients I used to make this recipe are all free from the following allergens. However, please check any labels carefully for allergens you need to avoid as brands can vary, and product recipes can change over time.
- Suitable for Vegetarians
- Gluten-Free
- Tree Nut-Free
- Peanut-Free
- Sesame-Free
- Lupin-Free
Black Forest Meringue Stack
INGREDIENTS
For the dark chocolate-swirled meringue
- 1 large egg whites – 35g if you're using liquid egg whites
- 50 g caster sugar
- 10 g dark chocolate
For the chantilly cream
- 100 ml double or whipping cream
- 1 tsp icing sugar
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
To finish the merginue stack
- 65 g kirsch-soaked cherries
- 4 fresh cherries – optional
- A little grated dark chocolate
INSTRUCTIONS
Make the meringues
- Pre-heat your oven to 100°C/80°C fan.Line two banking trays with baking parchment or reusable baking liners.
- Melt your dark chocolate (10g) – I use short bursts of no more that 30 seconds in the microwave, stirring between each burst. Set aside to cool while you make the meringue.
- Whip your egg white until it forms stiff peaks – I start slowly until the egg white is foamy and then gradually increase the speed until the eggs white forms stiff peaks.
- Keeping the speed high, gradually add the caster sugar (50g) 1 tablespoon at a time. Ensure each addition is fully combined before adding more.Keep whisking until the meringue forms a stiff peak.
- Create 12 small circles of meringue on your prepared sheet – I piped mine to help keep them neat and uniform in size, but you could also make them using the back of a spoon.
- Add a little of the melted dark chocolate into the centre of each meringue and use a skewer or the tip of a sharp knife to swirl the chocolate into the meringue.
- Bake for 1 hour, 15 minutes until the meringues are crisp.Leave to cool on a wire rack.
Make the Chantilly cream
- Whip your double or whipping cream (100ml) until it forms soft peaks.
- Add the icing sugar (1 tsp) and vanilla extract (½ tsp) and whip briefly to combine.
Build your black forest meringue stacks
- Place one meringue circle onto a dish. Pipe four blobs of cream around the edge. Place a kirsch-soacked cherry between eack blob.
- Add a second meringue and repeat the cream and cherries.
- Finally add a third meringue circle.
- Finish by piping a little more whipped cream on the top, adding a fresh cherry and a sprinkle of grated dark chocolate.
NOTES
NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION
Any nutritional information provided is the estimated nutritional information per serving. Please refer to my guide to Charlotte’s Lively Kitchen nutritional information if you would like to learn more about how this is calculated.
Koreena says
Im confused by step 3 & 4
3 says to mix til peaks and so does step 4 but with the sugar.
I’m guessing while you are doing step 3 you do step 4 and finish with peaks? Or do you do step 3 allow it to come to peaks ad then keep mixing adding the sugar and allowing it to get even firmer?
Sorry I have no idea lol but I would love to know so I could try and make these
Charlotte Oates says
You do step 3 to get just the egg whites to stiff peaks. Then when you start adding the sugar you’ll find that it softens and loses its peakiness so you need to bring it back to stiff peaks again.