Take your coffee break, morning tea or dessert to the next level with these Pistachio Raspberry Meringue Bars. A sweet treat for the eyes as much as the taste buds, these delightful bars pair perfectly with coffee creations like the lovely Caramel Biscoff® Latte for the ultimate pick-me-up.
Serves: 6
Prep time: 40 minutes
Cook time: 25 minutes + chilling
Difficulty: moderate
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Ingredients
Pastry & Filling
1 sheet store-bought good-quality shortcrust pastry
300g fresh or frozen raspberries
3/4 cup caster sugar
2 eggs
2 egg yolks
¼ cup lemon juice
2 tsp powdered gelatine
2 tbsp cold water
100 g unsalted butter, cubed
Meringue
4 egg whites
1 cup caster sugar
Topping
Fresh raspberries
1/3 cup pistachios, finely ground
Strawberry white chocolate, shaved into shards
Method for Pistachio Raspberry Meringue Bars
1. Preheat: Preheat the oven to 180°C fan forced. Line individual oval tart moulds with baking paper, or grease with butter and dust well with flour.
2. Bake the Pastry: Cut the pastry sheet in half. Line the tart moulds with the pastry halves, pressing each gently into the corners. Trim any overhang. Prick the pastry base all over with a fork, line with baking paper and baking weights, then bake for 10-12 minutes or until lightly golden. Remove paper and weights and bake for a further 2-3 minutes or until the base is dry. Set aside on a wire rack to cool completely.
3. Make the Raspberry Curd: Place the raspberries and sugar in a small saucepan over low heat. Cook gently for 3-5 minutes or until berries collapse and release their juices. Push through a fine sieve into a heatproof bowl, discarding the seeds.
4. Whisk the eggs and yolks into the warm raspberry liquid. Add the lemon juice, then return raspberry mixture to the saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
5. Set the Raspberry Curd: Place the gelatine and cold water into a small bowl and set aside for 5 minutes or until the gelatine blooms. Stir gelatine mixture into the hot raspberry curd until gelatine has dissolved. Remove from heat and whisk in butter until curd is smooth. Pour the curd into the cooled pastry shell and refrigerate for at least 5 hours or until fully set.
6. Make the Meringue: Place the egg whites and sugar in a heatproof bowl. Set over a saucepan of gently simmering water and whisk until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is warm. Transfer to the bowl of a mixer and whisk until thick and glossy peaks form.
7. Assemble the Bars: Pipe the meringue in neat rounds along the length of the set raspberry bar. Use a kitchen blowtorch to lightly toast the meringue if desired. Place the raspberries onto the meringue, scatter over the pistachio and top with the chocolate shards. Finish with fresh raspberries, a scattering of ground pistachio and top with the strawberry white chocolate shards.
Handy Hints for your Pistachio Raspberry Meringue Bars
- Strawberry white chocolate can be made by melting white chocolate and stirring in freeze-dried strawberry powder. Spread thinly onto a lined baking sheet and placed over a rolling pin to set. Once set, gently break into shards.
- The pastry shells and raspberry curd can be made a day ahead and assembled just before serving.
Coffee Pairing – Caramel Biscoff® Latte
Pair with our delightful Caramel Biscoff® Latte for an unforgettably indulgent coffee break!
More Coffee Inspiration
Be sure to check out all of our latest Coffee recipes for more incredible desserts and drinks inspired by the latest and greatest Coffee Machines available now at Harvey Norman®!