Holiday Berry Meringue Wreath Recipe

This Holiday Berry Meringue Wreath Recipe is a festive and airy recipe, which features fluffy egg whites and tart fresh cranberries. It’s the perfect holiday centerpiece, ready in about 3 hours.

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Holiday Berry Meringue Wreath Recipe Ingredients

Wreath:

• 8 large egg whites, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
• 3 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar

Cranberry Sauce:

• One 10-ounce bag fresh or frozen cranberries, thawed and drained if frozen
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar, plus more to taste
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• 4 cups fresh raspberries
• 1/2 cup pomegranate seeds
• Leaves from 1 bunch fresh mint

Whipped Cream:

• 1 cup heavy cream

How To Make Holiday Berry Meringue Wreath Recipe

1. Prep the template: Position an oven rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 225 degrees F. Line the back of a baking sheet with parchment paper. Create a stencil by flipping a 12-inch bowl upside down and tracing a circle onto the parchment. Then, use a 9-inch bowl to trace a second circle inside the first one. This ring is your guide. Flip the paper over so the ink is on the bottom.
2. Whip the meringue: In the very clean bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine the room temperature egg whites, cream of tartar, and salt. Whisk on medium speed until foamy, about 1 minute. Increase the speed to medium-high and beat until the mixture is thick and opaque.
3. Add the sugar: Gradually add the confectioners’ sugar, 1/4 cup at a time, while beating. Continue to beat on high until stiff, shiny peaks form. This takes patience—about 13 to 15 minutes.
4. Build the wreath: Using the traced template as a guide, spoon dollops of the stiff meringue along the inside of the 12-inch circle. Create a second, inner ring of dollops along the 9-inch circle, slightly overlapping the outer ring to connect them. Use the back of a spoon to flatten the top slightly for the cream, but leave plenty of decorative peaks.
5. Bake and cool: Bake the meringue for about 2 hours. It is done when the outside is dry, crisp, and pearly white. Remove from the oven and let it cool completely on the baking sheet.
6. Make the sauce: While the wreath bakes, combine the cranberries, granulated sugar, and lemon juice in a medium saucepan. Simmer over medium heat for about 10 minutes until the cranberries burst and the sauce thickens. Remove from heat and cool completely. Once cool, gently fold in the fresh raspberries and pomegranate seeds.
7. Assemble and serve: Just before serving, whip the heavy cream to soft peaks. Spread the whipped cream over the top of the cooled meringue wreath. Spoon the berry mixture over the cream and garnish with fresh mint leaves.

Recipe Tips

• Clean equipment is vital: Any trace of grease or egg yolk in the bowl will prevent the egg whites from whipping up properly. Wipe your bowl and whisk with a little lemon juice or vinegar before starting to ensure they are spotless.
• Humidity matters: Meringue absorbs moisture from the air. On very humid or rainy days, the meringue may remain sticky and chewy rather than becoming crisp. It is best to bake this on a dry day.
• Room temperature eggs: Egg whites whip up to a greater volume when they are not cold. Separate your eggs while cold, then let the whites sit out for 30 minutes before whipping.
• Adding sugar slowly: Do not rush adding the sugar. Adding it slowly ensures it dissolves completely into the protein structure, preventing the meringue from “weeping” or becoming gritty.

What To Serve With Holiday Berry Meringue Wreath

This light dessert is perfect after a heavy holiday meal.

• A glass of Champagne or Prosecco
• Hot espresso or coffee
• A side of dark chocolate truffles
• Additional fresh berries

How To Store Holiday Berry Meringue Wreath Recipe

• Unassembled: You can bake the meringue base a day in advance. Turn the oven off after baking and let it cool completely inside the oven (this helps dry it out). Store carefully in a large airtight container in a dry place.
• Assembled: Once you add the cream and fruit, the meringue will start to dissolve and soften. Assemble immediately before serving and eat within 2-3 hours.
• Freeze: Meringue does not freeze well; it becomes a sticky mess upon thawing.

Holiday Berry Meringue Wreath Recipe Nutrition Facts

• Calories: 310
• Total Fat: 10g
• Saturated Fat: 6g
• Cholesterol: 35mg
• Sodium: 110mg
• Total Carbohydrates: 55g
• Dietary Fiber: 3g
• Sugar: 48g
• Protein: 3g

Nutrition information is estimated per serving based on 8 servings.

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