Lemony Easter Chick Meringues Recipe

Introduction

These Lemony Easter chicks are a delightful, light treat featuring fluffy meringue with a fresh citrus twist. Perfect for spring celebrations, they offer a fun way to brighten your Easter table with sweet, adorable chicks.

Ingredients

• 2 medium egg whites
• 100g golden caster sugar
• ½ tsp cornflour
• Grated zest of ½ lemon, plus 1 tsp juice
• Yellow food colouring paste
• Orange, black, and yellow icing pens, to decorate

Instructions

1. Step 1: Heat the oven to 140°C (120°C fan)/gas mark 1. Line a baking sheet with baking parchment and fit a medium-sized plain nozzle to a piping bag.
2. Step 2: In a clean bowl, whisk the egg whites until very stiff. Gradually add half the sugar and whisk until the mixture becomes firm and shiny.
3. Step 3: Stir the cornflour into the remaining sugar. Then add this mixture to the meringue along with the lemon zest, lemon juice, and a small amount of yellow food colouring paste. Whisk again until the meringue is thick, firm, glossy, and pale yellow.
4. Step 4: Spoon the meringue into the piping bag, pushing out any air and twisting the top tightly to seal. Pipe about 25 thumb-sized dollops onto the baking sheet, shaping each to be wider at the base than the top to resemble a chick’s body and head. Leave space between each for expansion during baking.
5. Step 5: Bake for 30 minutes until the chicks are crisp, firm, and come off the parchment easily. Allow them to cool completely on a wire rack.
6. Step 6: Decorate each chick with the icing pens: use the orange pen to draw a V-shaped beak, the black pen for eyes and feet, and the yellow pen to add fluffy hair or wings.

Tips & Variations

• Make sure your bowl and whisk are completely clean and free of grease to achieve stiff egg whites.
• You can adjust the amount of yellow food colouring to get your preferred shade of chick.
• Try substituting lemon zest with orange zest for a different citrus flavor.

Storage

Store the decorated chicks in an airtight container at room temperature. They will keep crisp and fresh for up to one week. Avoid refrigeration as moisture can soften the meringue. If they lose crispness, you can refresh them briefly in a low oven before serving.

How to Serve

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I make the meringue ahead of time?

Yes, you can prepare and bake the meringues a day in advance. Store them in an airtight container to keep them crisp until ready to decorate and serve.

What if I don’t have food colouring paste?

You can use liquid or gel food colouring instead, but add it sparingly to avoid affecting the meringue’s texture. Start with a small amount and increase as needed to achieve the desired color.

Lemony Easter Chick Meringues Recipe

---

★★★★★

4.5 from 108 reviews

• Author: Sophie
• Total Time: 45 minutes
• Yield: About 25 chick meringues 1x
• Diet: Vegetarian

Pin Recipe

Print Recipe

Description

These charming Lemony Easter Chicks are delicate, light meringue treats infused with a fresh lemon flavor. Perfect for springtime celebrations, they feature a crisp outer shell and a melt-in-your-mouth texture inside, decorated with colorful icing pens to look like adorable chicks. Easy to make and delightfully festive, they make a beautiful centerpiece or a sweet snack for Easter gatherings.

---

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Meringue

• 2 medium egg whites
• 100g golden caster sugar
• ½ tsp cornflour
• Grated zest of ½ lemon
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• Yellow food colouring paste (a small smidge)

Decoration

• Orange icing pen
• Black icing pen
• Yellow icing pen

---

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven: Heat your oven to 140°C (120°C fan) or gas mark 1. Line a baking sheet with baking parchment and prepare a piping bag fitted with a medium-sized plain nozzle for piping the meringue.
2. Whisk egg whites: In a clean bowl, whisk the egg whites until very stiff peaks form. Gradually add half of the golden caster sugar and continue whisking until the mixture becomes firm and shiny.
3. Prepare meringue mixture: Stir the cornflour into the remaining sugar. Add this mixture along with the lemon zest, lemon juice, and a small amount of yellow food colouring paste to the whisked egg whites. Whisk again until you achieve a very thick, firm, and glossy pale yellow meringue.
4. Pipe the chicks: Carefully spoon the meringue into the piping bag, push out any air, and tightly twist the opening. Pipe about 25 thumb-sized dollops onto the lined baking sheet, shaping each dollop wider at the base than the top to resemble a chick’s body and head. Leave space between each meringue to allow for expansion while baking.
5. Bake: Place the baking sheet in the oven and cook for 30 minutes, or until the meringues are crisp, firm, and easily lift off from the parchment paper without sticking.
6. Cool: Remove the meringues from the oven and leave them to cool completely on a wire rack to set their crisp texture.
7. Decorate: Use the orange icing pen to draw a V-shaped beak. Apply the black icing pen for the eyes and feet. Use the yellow icing pen to add fluffy hair details on the chick’s head and wings for a festive finishing touch.
8. Storage: Store the decorated meringue chicks in an airtight container to keep fresh for up to one week.

Notes

• Ensure the egg whites are free of any yolk or grease to achieve the best stiff peaks.
• Use a low oven temperature to dry out the meringues slowly and prevent browning or cracking.
• Be gentle when piping to create the chick shapes; practice on parchment if needed before piping the final shapes.
• These meringue chicks can be made a day in advance for convenience.
• Store in a cool, dry place to maintain crispness and prevent them from becoming sticky.

• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 30 minutes
• Category: Dessert
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: British

Keywords: Easter dessert, lemon meringue, festive treats, meringue chicks, spring baking, kid-friendly dessert