The Marvelous Merveilleux From Our Tours

In our tours, we meet wonderful people every day with whom we spend a few hours experiencing culture, culinary delights, and passion. The intimate familiarity during the tour creates emotional connections, and some of the visitors become our friends. One even became the person I wake up next to every morning.

During the tours, many people post content to Instagram and share their experiences. I also occasionally share the magic and sweet Parisian world with my followers. One of the most famous videos during the tours is the fluffy brioche. Since it has become so popular, I decided to publish its recipe and allow those who cannot come to Paris or join the tour to experience it in their own kitchens.

Now, you can make the famous brioche from the tours at home, and it’s time for the Merveilleux. During a recent tour with a lovely family, Rona asked me when I would publish the recipe for this white cloud. I thought it was a great idea for Passover, and after the tour, we decided to publish the recipe for the Merveilleux from the tours. Rona, I promised, and I deliver!

What is Merveilleux? The Merveilleux is a dessert based on meringue and Chantilly cream that comes from the Flanders region, specifically northern France (Lille) and Belgium. It is a well-known dessert and quite simple in the form of a cylinder composed of two layers of meringue, between which is Chantilly cream. The entire dessert is covered in Chantilly and decorated with shaved chocolate.

The Merveilleux can be found in various stores, but the most famous brand where you can find a variety of Merveilleux flavors today is Aux Merveilleux de Fred. By the way, the perfect chocolate brioche from our tours comes from Aux Merveilleux de Fred as well. Please welcome the wonderful Merveilleux of Fred, an easy recipe that requires little time for assembly. It’s perfect for Passover, meringue and whipped cream lovers, and anyone looking for gluten-free desserts.

The Marvelous Merveilleux From Our Tours
12 servings

Ingredients
Meringue:
150g egg whites (from around 5 medium eggs)
300g white sugar
1 tsp lemon juice or white vinegar

Chantilly Mascarpone cream:
500g heavy whipping cream
100g Mascarpone cheese
50g confectioners’ sugar

Decoration:
Shaved chocolate (each chocolate you love)
Caramelized hazelnuts, chopped
Caramelized almonds, chopped
Ground coconut 

Preparation
1. Preheat the oven to 100 degrees Celsius and line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Meringue: Beat the egg whites, sugar, and vinegar until a very stiff and glossy meringue forms (about 10 minutes).
3. Transfer the meringue to a piping bag with a plain round tip. Pipe 12 disks (6 cm in diameter each) on one baking sheet and 12 small mounds (6 cm in diameter each) on the other. It is recommended to draw circles on the parchment paper, flip the paper (so the drawing doesn’t touch the meringue), and pipe within the circle outlines for precise circles.
4. Bake for 1 1/2 hours (depending on the oven) until the meringue is completely dry. If the meringue is not completely dry, continue baking. Once the meringue is completely dry, remove from the oven and cool to room temperature. It is recommended to store the meringue in a dry place to prevent it from absorbing moisture.

Assembly (It is recommended to assemble the Merveilleux as close as possible to serving time):
5. Chantilly mascarpone: Whip the heavy cream and mascarpone cheese together until stable, gradually add powdered sugar, and continue to whip for another minute.
6. Place 2 tablespoons of chantilly mascarpone on a meringue disk, place a meringue mound on top, add a little more chantilly on the mound and, using a palette knife, cover the entire dessert with chantilly so that you get a dessert completely wrapped in cream and the meringues hiding inside.
7. Arrange each decoration on a separate plate. Roll the dessert gently in the coating of your choice.
8. Arrange on a beautiful dish and serve.

Happy Passover and Bon-Appétit
Sharon