I have a client who requested a cake decorated with meringue ribbon roses.  This cake will require alot of these flowers so ideally I would like to make them ahead of time and store them in air-tight containers until needed.  So my question is how long will they keep for in air-tight containers.  We do not live in a particulary humid climate.

In the Cake Bible, it says that the Crisp French Merginue can be stored as follows: “Tightly covered at room temperature and low humidity, meringues will keep for more than 6 months.”  For the Chocolate Italian Meringue Cookies, it says they can be stored one week to ten days at room temperature.  So, not sure about the 6 months, but sounds like you’re safe for a week at least, especially if you’re in a low humidity environment!

Thanks so much, that is very helpful!

How do you make meringue ribbon roses? I’d love to see a picture of the completed cake. Sounds nice.

The cake that I am making is long way out, however I believe you can search for a picture on the Martha Stewart website if you type in “meringue ribbon roses”.  The bride had her picture from there.  You make them using a rose tube and an icing nail.  You twist the nail as you squeeze out a long ribbon of meringue that wraps around and around, tight in the centre and wrapping the last bit down on an angle to finish it, like an open petal.  Then you bake them on a low oven to dry them out hopefully without browning them.  It is a pretty effect when you have a lot of them.