Giant (Halloween) meringues

I remember that I got this book – Paris. Boulangerie. Patisserie (published in 1994). I placed stickers next to the recipes I wanted to make, and these Giant meringues were one of them. I never did make them at that time. The money was tight in our family. Yet, I made one recipe later, inspired by a window display I saw in Paris - that incredible beauty.

I rarely enjoy meringues, but these – with chocolate, spices and nuts – are all about evenings with these cookies, cognac and coffee. 

90 g egg whites, room temperature
pinch of sea salt
a bit of vanilla powder
1/8 tsp cardamom powder, or freshly crushed cardamom
100 g granulated white sugar
95 g confectioners’ sugar
25 g chopped 70% chocolate
25 g French waffles, crushed
25 g sliced almonds (thin slices)


Heat the oven 100° C hot. Line a pan with baking paper. 

In a bowl, add egg whites, salt, vanilla, and cardamom. Beat on a medium/high speed until soft peaks start to form. Continue beating, raising the speed a bit more (not maximum, though,) and slowly add both sugars in a stream. Better slower than faster. When all of it has been added, continue beating until the whites are stiff (not dry). It should stand nicely when lifted without falling over. Add chocolate, waffles and almonds, and fold in gently. 

Put giant spoons of meringue on a pan (I put on six), sprinkle with a few more almonds (if you wish), and bake in the oven, one rack below the middle, for 1h 30 minutes and then 15 more minutes with a door slightly ajar (put a wooden spoon in the door). Take them out and let cool to room temperature. They should be hard on the outside but sticky inside. 

You can eat them as they are or serve with a spoonful of creme fraiche and some chopped black chocolate.