Name: Chocolate Meringue Easter Nests
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 90 min
Total time: 85 min
Ingredients: 100 g Dark chocolate (finely grated); 2 tbsp Cocoa powder; 6 Egg whites (large); 1 tsp Cream of tartar (see notes); 400 g Caster sugar; 1 tsp Vanilla extract (optional); 300 ml Double cream; 1 tbsp Icing sugar; 1 tsp Vanilla extract; 120 g Mini Eggs ((36 Mini Eggs)); 2 tbsp Dark chocolate curls/sprinkles

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These Chocolate Meringue Easter Nests are chocolatey and melt in the mouth treats that are perfect for Easter! They are filled with whipped cream (which is the ideal partner to crisp meringue) and super cute Mini Eggs. If it's not Easter time, you can still enjoy these yummy chocolate meringues, fill them with berries, fruit or any of your favourite chocolate. Whether you're new to making meringue, or looking for a twist on plain white meringue, these chocolate meringues are easy to make with delicious results!

Ingredient Tips & Equipment Information

Make sure your eggs are at room temperature before you start baking.
If you don't have any cream of tartar, you can replace it with 2 tsp white vinegar, 2 tsp cider vinegar, or 2 tsp lemon juice.
You can use either fresh eggs, or to avoid having lots of egg yolks to use up you can now buy cartons of egg whites from brands like Two Chicks. I do find that you get the best and most consistent results with fresh eggs, but the cartons are great for avoiding egg yolk waste.
If you need recipes to use up leftover egg yolks, check out my Leftover Egg Yolks recipe collection.
Make sure your mixing bowl is completely grease free before making your meringue, as grease will stop the egg whites from foaming. You can wipe your bowl down with lemon juice or white vinegar before you start to ensure any traces of grease is removed.
When separating your eggs make sure not to get any egg yolk in the egg whites, as this will also stop it from foaming.
You can decorate the meringue nests with any Easter chocolate of your preference.
Although I provide cup measurements, I highly recommend weighing your ingredients out using digital kitchen scales*. It is the most accurate way to measure ingredients and will ensure the best results. Digital scales are very low cost and can be purchased for around £12 ($16.50) .
For teaspoon (tsp) and tablespoon (tbsp) measurements, please use measuring spoons* and not the type of spoons you eat with. Again this will ensure accuracy and provide the best results.

For the full recipe with measurements, head to the recipe card at the end of this post.

How to make Chocolate Meringue Easter Nests

Finely grate the dark chocolate (I like to use a chocolate grater* to get it really fine) and then stir cocoa powder into it. Whisk up the egg whites and cream of tartar in an electric food mixer until stiff peaks form. They will look foamy, but hold their shape.

Keep the mixer going, and add the caster sugar slowly, one spoonful at a time. Then add the vanilla extract. Once stiff peaks form and the sugar has dissolved into the meringue, turn the mixer off and fold the grated chocolate and cocoa powder mixture into the meringue.

Put the meringue into a piping bag fitted with a star nozzle and pipe out nest shapes onto lined baking trays. Bake them and leave to cool. To decorate, fill them with whipped cream, and decorate with Mini Eggs and chocolate shavings.

For the full recipe with measurements, head to the recipe card at the end of this post.

How do you stop the meringues from cracking?

The best way I have found to do this is to not open the oven at all until the meringue is fully cool. This is because meringues do not like sudden changes in temperature, even opening the oven door slightly can cause cracks. Once the meringue is baked, turn the oven off and do not open the door until the oven is completely cold. I find it easiest to make the meringue in the evening and leave it overnight in the oven cooling down.

Can you make the meringues in advance?

The meringue can be made up to 2 days ahead. To store it, wait for it to fully cool as described in the recipe. Keep it in an airtight container in a cool place. It will not keep well in humid weather. Once you add the whipped cream and other decorations, the meringues need to be stored in the fridge and be eaten within 2 days.

What can you do with the leftover egg yolks?

You can check out my post on Things To Do With Leftover Egg Yolks for recipe ideas! Or if you want to avoid any leftovers you can now buy cartons of egg whites only, which you can use for this recipe. I've used Two Chicks egg whites several times, and Happy Egg is another brand I know of.

Is this recipe gluten or dairy free?

Good news for coeliacs - this recipe is gluten free! Do double check the labels though of everything you use if serving to anyone with an allergy or intolerance in case of a cross contamination risk. To make it dairy free, try whipped coconut cream for the filling, or another dairy free whippable cream option. Also make sure the dark chocolate you use is dairy free, and use dairy free mini eggs, such as Doisy & Dam.

Do you have to use cream of tartar?

I always use cream of tartar when making meringue as it stabilises the egg whites, speeds up the foaming process and gives meringue it's melt in the mouth texture. If you don't have any, or can't get hold of it, you can substitute it with 2 tsp white vinegar, 2 tsp cider vinegar, or 2 tsp lemon juice. If you don't use cream of tartar, or any substitute, there is a slightly higher risk that your meringue could collapse and/or not puff up when baking.

Troubleshooting

If you have any questions about this recipe, or if something went wrong and you need help, please use the comment form below and I will get back to you. You can also get in touch with me on my Twitter, Instagram or Facebook. I'd love to hear from you!

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