KP+: Mango Merveilleux
Meringue meets Mango, Marvellously
Mango Merveilleux… aka Marvellous Mango? Sometimes the concepts for recipes write themselves.
If you have no idea what I’m talking about, let me fill you in: Merveilleux (pronounced something like Mer-vey-yu) is an originally Belgian cake (? Confection? Dessert? sweet treat?) comprised of two meringues, stacked with cream, then rolled and coated in an assortment of delicious things: Chocolate, toasted nuts, etc., etc. Despite originating in Belgium, it was popularised across Northern France, where it found a particularly enthusiastic audience. And, I can’t help but find the apparent story behind its naming so very, deeply… French.
Merveilleux are said to take their name from the Merveilleuses (their male counterparts were known as the Incroyables), an aristocratic subculture in post-Revolutionary Paris that celebrated surviving the Reign of Terror with extravagant fashion, parties, and a rejection of revolutionary austerity. Their style included ancient-Greece-inspired dresses, blonde wigs, and oversized hats. Is it any surprise that they ended up with a frou-frou meringue cake named after them?
If you are familiar with Merveilleux, there’s a good chance that’s to do with Fred, full name Frédéric Vaucamps. Aux Merveilleux de Fred is a hugely successful international chain of bakeries, operating in some eleven countries. It all began with one store in Lille in 1997, named after pastry chef Frédéric’s favourite, and most popular confection. The menu is the same across all stores, with a variety of cream cakes, waffles, brioches, and, of course, the star of the show, the merveilleux. Fred’s take on the merveilleux is so pervasive that I don’t know if I can even find a recipe that doesn’t attempt to mimic his version. According to the website, Frédéric revamped the original merveilleux to make it lighter, and that version has now become the blueprint.
Even though I’d walked past the black-fronted shops with the cursive, calligraphy-like font along and an oval logo featuring the silhouettes of a belle époque era couple, many times in London (there are five stores dotted across the city), it wasn’t until a trip to Bordeaux that I finally ventured in. The shops are gorgeously glamorous, with chandeliers, marble features, and a completely open kitchen. The names are suitably camp: Le Magnifique (praline and hazelnuts), L’Excentrique (cherry), L’Incroyable (speculoos & white chocolate), and L’Impensable (coffee) appear in the range, along with the original and the namesake, Le Merveilleux (cream and dark chocolate).
Making a Merveilleux
Over the last few weeks, I’ve been developing a few of my own merveilleux recipes inspired by – I’m hoping they’ll appear in a big project I’m working on, tying up at the moment. I tried several combinations – the classic cream and chocolate, along with a coffee, caramel milk chocolate, a Mont Blanc-inspired confection with chestnut cream, and a gorgeous pina colada-themed one with pineapple jam and toasted coconut. I just love the way they look - they are simply the jolliest of fellows.
So, it only felt right to write up and share a recipe for a merveilleux that suits the seasons right now. Please welcome in: The Mango Merveilleux!
As you may know, we are right in the midst of peak Indian Mango season, which means we have the most delicious, rich mangoes available for a fairly short time (Alphonso’s to the end of May, though they are already wrinkling a little, and Kesar’s through June – no panic, it’s Pakistani honey mangoes next!).
Whether you are an Alphonso fan or a kesar lover, I love my annual contribution to the Kitchen Projects Mango Cannon each year. You can find my round-up of recipes here.
Meringue and mango are already a tried-and-tested combination here in the newsletter, but these gorgeous merveilleux? I could eat them by the dozen. The recipe is simple, really: Make a meringue, pipe into bases and tops, whip cream (add yoghurt if you want tang), then sandwich with a little fresh mango (or mango not-curd for extra juiciness) and then roll in your favourite coating: Toasted coconut (flakes or desiccated) or white chocolate (for the coconut fearers).
I can’t lie to you - building mervellieux with fillings in is definitely faffier than the original, so remember you can always forgo all the mango-ing and build traditional cream and chocolate versions – so very satisfying.
RECIPE: Mango Merveilleux
Makes around 12-14, depending on your meringue
