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These Tiny Meringue Nests with Chocolate Hazelnut Fluff turn basic items into a fancy sweet treat that seems straight from a boutique bakery. The crunchy meringue cups hold a warm pool of chocolate hazelnut spread topped with fluffy whipped cream and toasted hazelnuts, making a treat that perfectly balances different textures.
I whipped up these little meringue treats for a get-together when I wanted to amaze my friends without being stuck in the kitchen forever. They've become my go-to sweet when I want to make someone feel extra special without spending all day messing with tricky baking methods.
What You'll Need
- 4 large egg whites: make sure they're at room temp for better fluffiness
- 1 cup granulated sugar: finer sugar works better since it melts more easily
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract: gives the meringue base a rich background flavor
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream: keep it super cold before whipping
- 1 cup Nutella: this key ingredient works in both the filling and flavored topping
- 1 cup raw unsalted hazelnuts: toast them to bring out their nutty flavor
- 4 ounce chocolate bar: splurge on something nice, you'll taste the difference
Making Your Sweet Treats
- Get Everything Ready:
- Heat your oven to exactly 250°F which really matters for good meringues. Put parchment on your baking tray making sure it's totally flat so your meringues come out even.
- Whip Up Your Meringues:
- Start beating egg whites at medium speed then slowly go faster. Add sugar bit by bit, waiting until each spoonful disappears before adding more. Keep going until you see shiny stiff peaks that don't flop over when you lift the beater.
- Shape Your Shells:
- Put the fluffy mixture in a piping bag with a big round tip. Squeeze out 4inch circles on your tray, making the sides a bit taller than the middle to form a little bowl. Each one should be about an inch tall so they can hold all your yummy toppings.
- Cook and Let Them Rest:
- Bake them for exactly 90 minutes at 250°F until they feel dry but aren't turning brown. The slow cooking gives you that crispy outside but soft inside. After cooking, just turn off the oven but don't open it, letting them cool slowly for 12 hours so they don't crack.
- Get Those Nuts Ready:
- Put a dry pan on medium heat and toss in hazelnuts. Keep them moving with a wooden spoon so they toast evenly. Watch them like a hawk since they burn fast once they start browning. They're done when they smell amazing and the skins start splitting.
- Mix Your Chocolate Cream:
- Whip the cold cream in a cold bowl until it's just fluffy. Slowly mix in half cup of Nutella with careful folding moves to keep the cream fluffy. Don't mix too much or it'll go flat. Warm the leftover Nutella in the microwave for 20 seconds, stirring till it's runny.
- Put It All Together:
- Set a cooled meringue on a plate. Pour a spoonful of warm Nutella in the middle. Add a big scoop of the Nutella cream. Scatter some toasted chopped nuts and finish with thin chocolate curls made by running a veggie peeler along your chocolate bar.
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Important Tips
- You can make these shells a day ahead and keep them in a sealed container
- The magic is in how the crunchy outside meets the soft inside
- Make sure your bowls and tools don't have any oil or egg yolk on them
- Don't try to speed up the meringues too much heat will make them crack
The best thing about serving these is watching people take that first bite when the crispy shell breaks into that soft center it always brings big smiles. My kid and I love making these for birthdays and celebrations, and she always calls dibs on licking the beaters with the leftover chocolate cream.
Keeping It Fresh
Your meringue shells will stay good for up to 3 days if you store them right. Put them in a completely dry, sealed container at room temp never in the fridge where moisture will make them soft. Keep them away from humid areas that's their worst enemy. For the best experience, put everything together just before you serve them since the cream will eventually make the meringues soggy.
Swap It Out
Feel free to change things up based on what's in your kitchen. You can use peanut butter, caramel, or fruit spread instead of Nutella for totally different flavors. Try almonds, pecans or pistachios if you don't have hazelnuts. For folks who can't do dairy, cold coconut cream whips up pretty well as a stand-in for heavy cream, though it'll taste a bit different.
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Fixing Common Problems
Getting these just right might take a couple tries, but even the less-than-perfect ones taste awesome. If your meringue falls flat while mixing in sugar, your egg whites probably weren't stiff enough to start with. If you see weeping or cracks, your oven was probably too hot or you didn't let them cool long enough. When they're too gooey inside, they just needed more time in the oven.
Ways To Serve
Turn this into a fun DIY dessert bar by putting out the baked shells with bowls of Nutella cream, toasted nuts and lots of toppings. Fresh berries especially raspberries go really well with the hazelnut flavor. For fancy occasions, add a splash of hazelnut liqueur to your cream or serve with small glasses of sweet bubbly wine.
Frequently Asked Questions
- → How can I keep pavlovas crunchy?
Cook them slowly at low heat and leave them to cool down inside the oven without opening the door.
- → Is there a good nut swap for hazelnuts?
You can swap hazelnuts for pecans, walnuts, or almonds based on your preference.
- → How do I get the cream light and airy?
Beat the cream until it's fluffy, then gently mix in Nutella, folding carefully to keep the light texture.
- → Can I make these a day ahead?
Sure! Bake them early and keep them plain. Add toppings right before serving so they don’t go soggy.
- → What's the easiest way to toast hazelnuts?
Heat them on the stove in a dry pan over medium heat, stirring until they smell toasty but aren’t burned.