Noel Remacle created a two-ingredient meringue by mixing pasteurised egg whites and fondant. Photo / Supplied
Noel Remacle created a two-ingredient meringue by mixing pasteurised egg whites and fondant. Photo / Supplied
A Tauranga patisserie chef has whipped up a “mind-blowing” recipe for a two-ingredient meringue that comes together in just five minutes in a mixer.
Noel Remacle says his new approach could “make life a lot easier” for enthusiasts of the airy dessert.
The third-generation baker recently presented his “simple” meringueat the global Pastry Arts Virtual Summit, attended by more than 60 of the world’s top dessert professionals.
Remacle said he worked to perfect the ratios of pasteurised egg whites and fondant.
“It was either too soft or had an odd texture, so I played around for a few weeks until I found the right texture.”
He had also developed a vegan version that replaced egg whites with aquafaba.
His method had no need for hot sugar syrups or bain-marie set-ups, and took less than five minutes to prepare.
“You throw everything in the mixer, turn it on, walk away, and come back in five minutes.
The meringue is made from pasteurised egg whites and fondant, doesn't require hot sugar syrups or bain-marie set-ups, and takes less than five minutes. Photo / Supplied
“It’s as simple as, and could make life a lot easier.”
The Edmonds meringue recipe, for example, uses egg whites, salt, cream of tartar and caster sugar, and requires bakers to watch the mixture for consistency changes while beating.
Remacle named his approach the BelgieBaker Meringue.
“That came from me being from Belgium, being a baker, and here in New Zealand. Everywhere I worked used Belgie as my nickname.”
He said his meringue broke all the traditional meringue rules.
“If the French, Italians, and Swiss get to name their meringues, well then why not me?”
Remacle told the Bay of Plenty Times that when he started baking in 1980, he didn’t actually want to be a baker.
His father and grandfather were both pastry chefs.
Noel Remacle calls his method the BelgieBaker Meringue. Photo / Supplied
“When I was 14, I got in some trouble, was kicked out of school, and that’s when my dad told me I was going to be a baker.
“I learned the hard way, and I hated it in the beginning, but, after a while, learning to do cakes and everything, it became my passion, and now I’m always doing it.”
Remacle moved to New Zealand from Belgium in 2007 after selling his family bakery business.
“We just decided to travel, and, when I do something, I always have to go to extremes, and I thought ‘What’s the furthest I could go’, which was New Zealand.”
He started in Napier, working the midnight bread shift at the Hastings New World bakery.
“I had to start back at the bottom, but I was just happy to do my thing.”
Remacle said what made his meringue discovery extra special was that every time he made it, it reminded him of his dad.
His dad was in hospital in Belgium with Covid-19 when Remacle made his discovery, and could not come to the phone.
Remacle planned to share the news – which he knew his dad would love – when he came out of hospital, but he never made it out.
Noel Remacle is a third-generation baker and started baking in 1980. Photo / Supplied
“So every time I make the meringue, I think about that, and how cool it would have been if I could have told him.”
Remacle works as a principal academic staff member at Toi Ohomai Institute of Technology, teaching the Certificate in Baking (Level 4) and Diploma in Baking (Level 5).
He shared the meringue recipe with his students before presenting it to the Pastry Arts Virtual Summit’s global audience.
He said he had since received messages from all over the world.
“People from Portugal, Belgium and France are saying the recipe is mind-blowing.”
The summit had dessert makers showcasing their work from Australia, Canada, India, Malaysia, the United States and Wales.
Remacle said he was in conversations with two global companies, with a few people asking for the exact recipe.
“At the moment, I’m keeping the exact ratios quiet, but it’s not rocket science.”
Kaitlyn Morrell is a multimedia journalist for the Bay of Plenty Times and Rotorua Daily Post. She has lived in the region for several years and studied journalism at Massey University.
