Meringues Glacées

Meringues glacées (ice-filled meringue shells) teach the discipline of the last moment. The shell must be dry and crisp, the ice firm enough to hold a spooned oval, and the two must not meet until the platter is ready to move. Moisture is the enemy. That is the one true thing to know before you begin.

The original entry assumed a pastry section with Ordinary Meringue (No. 2382) already baked, several ices waiting in the freezer, and enough hands to fill every shell when the dining room called. At home, eight shells and one good ice are plenty for four people. Pre-moulding the ice on a cold tray gives one cook the missing pair of hands. That tray is brigade scaffolding and may change; filling the shells at the last moment is the dish and must stay. One cook, one stove, one evening.

Serve the meringues singly on a folded napkin, two to each guest, or use less filling against each shell and join them in pairs. Both forms belong to the entry. The step that matters is the final one: wait until everyone is seated before the ice touches the meringue.