My Strawberry and Raspberry Meringue ! ©

Oven 150.C

Time : 1 hour

INGREDIENTS

3 egg whites

175g caster sugar

1 tsp vinegar

1 tsp corn flour

For Coulis

125g Raspberries

125g Strawberries

1tbs icing sugar or more.

FOR DECORATION

125g Raspberries

125g Strawberries

or other similar fruit

250ml Fresh cream whipped stiffly

METHOD

Turn on oven 150 C.

Cooking time 1 hr

1. Line baking tray with gpp.( grease proof paper).

2. Draw outline of a bowl that will fit on serving dish, leaving a small margin.

3. Measure out ingredients and have ready in bowls.

4. Place egg whites in large bowl and whisk until stiff peaks.

5. Add half sugar and beat until very shiny, 4 mins.

6.  Mix remaining sugar with corn flour and vinegar. Using a large table spoon, fold in lightly and quickly by hand.

7. Spoon into piping bag, disposable or otherwise.( Use plain nozzle, or star shaped) fill half full only…..or it all comes out the top, twist and push down. ( It is helpful to stand piping bag in a measuring jug, while filling, see photo. )

8. Pipe out, following pencil line and so inwards. It does not need to be perfect, one of the delights of meringue is that even if you do it all with a spoon, it still looks great!!!

9. On top of your base, pipe around edge mini whirls. ( See picture )

10. With any left over meringue mixture, make mini “Drops”, delicious to nibble on afterwards….. Push and pull up sharply.

11. Place in preheated oven.

12. After ten mins, cover lightly with gpp. so that the meringue does not brown.

13. When time is up, turn oven off and leave to cool in oven, remove gpp first.

14. Remove from oven, detach carefully from gpp. with the help of a pallet knife.

15. Place little ones in a bowl.

16. Fill case with stiffly whipped cream on day of serving. Save a little cream to decorate with cream stars.

17. Decorate with soft fruit of your choice, raspberries, strawberries, kiwi etc.

18. Decorate with piped stars of whipped cream and at the last minute, using a small sieve dust with icing sugar…….

19. For the Coulis, wash and hull fruit, blend in blender, together with a little icing sugar. Pour into a very fine sieve, over a bowl and with a wooden spoon, stir until all the fruit has gone through, leaving only the seeds. It takes a little time, but is well worth it.

20. Serve in jug or sauce boat next to the Meringue.

COULIS : Is a thin vegetable or fruit puree, coming from the French word ‘Couler’ to flow.

N.B  You can make the meringue and Coulis the day before. Assemble 2 hours before.

Once you have made it once, you will realize it is easy and every one likes Meringue, cream and strawberries !

On grease proof paper, draw a circle using a bowl which will fit into your final serving dish.

This will act as a guide to pipe your meringue base onto.

Place paper on baking tray.

Place star or plain nozzle in piping bag and stand in measuring jug.

Like so……

Place egg whites in clean bowl. ( Any grease, or yolk will prevent the meringue from becoming stiff. )

Divide sugar between two bowls. Add to one the corn flour and vinegar.

Beat with an electric beater or by hand with a balloon whisk, the egg whites, until “stiff peaks.”

As you will observe in the photograph, the egg whites need more beating, because the peak in the bowl does

not stand up right, but bends over……

Once the meringue is “Stiff Peaks” fold  lightly and quickly, the remaining sugar, corn flour and vinegar.

Fold by cutting through middle of meringue with spatula, giving a half turn anti-clockwise to your bowl and

lifting meringue up and over.

Fill piping bag half full with meringue. Lift out bag and twist top of bag to close.

Holding twisted top with your right hand and guiding the bag with your left and holding the nozzle close to

the paper start piping out your meringue, using the pencil line as a guide and gradually coming inwards.