Baking: The rise and rise of the massive meringue Forget cupcakes, macaroons and whoopie pies; there's a new dessert in town and sweet-toothed types, disappointed by diminutive delicacies, will be delighted to learn that the new pretenders are, frankly, enormous. Huge, airy puffs of meringue the size of dinner plates - often sprinkled with crumbled pistachios or freeze-dried raspberries - have become ubiquitous at posh dinner parties and at trendy delis around the country. At such places they're often stacked in gleaming piles as window displays, designed to lure foodies through the door. Experts say the popularity of the dessert is down to the fact that meringues still sate a sweet tooth while, due to their airy nature, they are seen as slightly more healthy than other desserts And considering that they're made just from egg whites and a pinch of sugar, these outlandish confections don't come cheap. Prices usually start at around £3 but they can cost up to £5 at exclusive establishments. Chef Yotam Ottolenghi, often credited with starting the trend, now says he sells around 60 of his multi-flavoured meringues a day, and double that on weekends in his eponymous delis, while Selfridges has started selling mini versions for 70p a pop. Even Waitrose sell raspberry, mango and passionfruit and chocolate versions for £1.90, and you can now order giant, tiered meringue wedding cakes in a rainbow of colours for around £500 from meringuegirls.co.uk. The good news is that if you don't want to shell out for your own meringue, this is one trend that's easy to make at home (pictured: Lemon meringue pie tartlets) Experts say the popularity of the dessert is down to the fact that meringues still sate a sweet tooth while, due to their airy nature, they are seen as slightly more healthy than other desserts (indeed, there are around 300 calories in a cupcake, versus 150 in a meringue) so are popular with women. And the good news is that if you don't want to shell out for your own, this is one trend that's easy to make at home - music to the ears of anyone who tried to construct the last tricky confectionery trend, the cakepop. To make your meringue, just beat 115g sugar and four egg whites together until stiff and glossy, then fold in 115g of icing sugar and bake for one and a half hours at 100C for deli-worthy treats at a fraction of the price. So go on, indulge your sweet tooth the chic way.