Swiss Meringues with Tomato Jam, White Chocolate Cream & Caramelized Milk Powder
A light summer dessert that brings together the unexpected freshness of ripe pink tomatoes, the delicate crunch of Swiss meringue, and the soft creaminess of whipped white chocolate. Caramelized milk powder adds a warm, golden note, creating a playful balance between fruity, creamy, crisp, and caramelized.
For the Swiss meringue shells
Place the egg whites, sugar and cornstarch in a heatproof bowl set over a bain-marie. Gently heat, stirring constantly, until the sugar has fully dissolved and the mixture reaches 55–60°C.
Transfer the mixture to a stand mixer and whisk on high speed for 8–10 minutes, until the meringue is glossy, firm, and completely cool.
Transfer the meringue to a piping bag fitted with a round nozzle. Pipe the meringue into small silicone half-sphere mold, making sure to leave a hollow space inside each one for the filling.
Dry the meringues in a dehydrator at 55°C for 5–6 hours, or until completely dry, crisp, and light. Keep them in an airtight container until serving.
| 2 | egg whites |
| 120 g. | caster sugar |
| 5 g. | cornstarch |
| Pinch of | salt |
For the tomato jam
Place the diced tomatoes, sugar, honey, white balsamic vinegar, and thyme in a saucepan. Cook gently over medium heat until the tomatoes start to release their juices.
Bring the mixture to 85–90°C and simmer for 10–15 minutes, stirring often, until the tomatoes soften and the flavor becomes concentrated.
Mix the pectin NH with the 10 g sugar, then sprinkle it into the hot tomato mixture while whisking constantly. Bring the jam to a gentle boil at around 100–103°C and cook for 1–2 minutes to activate the pectin.
Add the lemon juice at the end, remove the thyme, and blend lightly if a smoother texture is desired. Cool completely before using.
| 350 g. | ripe pink homemade tomatoes, peeled and diced |
| 80 g. | sugar |
| 25 g. | honey |
| 15 g. | white balsamic vinegar |
| 1 (small) sprig | fresh thyme |
| 3 g. | lemon juice |
| 4 g. | pectin NH |
| 10 g. | sugar, for mixing with the pectin |
For the white chocolate cream
Place the chopped white chocolate in a bowl.
Heat the cream with the vanilla until it just begins to simmer, around 80–85°C. Pour the hot cream over the white chocolate and let it sit for 1 minute.
Blend or whisk until smooth and glossy. Cover with cling film directly touching the surface and refrigerate for at least 6 hours, preferably overnight, until very cold.
Once fully chilled, whip the cream gently until light, airy, and pipeable. Be careful not to overwhip, as white chocolate cream can split.
| 90 g. | white chocolate, finely chopped |
| 150 ml. | whipping cream |
| 2 g. | vanilla paste (or ½ pod) |
For the caramelized milk powder
Place the milk powder in a dry frying pan over low to medium heat.
Toast it slowly, stirring constantly, until it begins to turn golden and caramelized. This should take around 5–8 minutes. Be careful, as milk powder can burn quickly.
Transfer to a tray and leave it to cool completely. Once cold, grind or blend it into a fine powder. Keep in an airtight container until serving.
| 60 g. | milk powder |
Plating/ Serving
Fill each dry and crispy Swiss meringue shell with the tomato jam.
Pipe the light white chocolate cream on top, then generously dust with the caramelized milk powder.
Serve immediately, while the meringue is still crisp.
