Coffee Meringue With Cream Summer Fruits Food

SUMMER BERRY MERINGUES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 110C/fan 90C/gas ¼. Tip the egg whites and lemon juice into the clean bowl of a food mixer. Whisk until the whites double in volume and hold a peak when the whisk is drawn through them. Keep the whisk running and add the sugar a tbsp at a time, incorporating completely before adding the next. Whisk until all the sugar has been added and the whites are glossy.
• Place a square of baking parchment on a large baking sheet. Pencil nine circles, about 7cm each, onto the parchment. Spoon the meringue into a large piping bag fitted with a plain nozzle and pipe concentric rounds to fit each drawn circle, piping two or more rings around the edge to form a nest. Bake for 2 hrs until they are crisp and lift off the paper easily. Leave to cool completely.
• Whisk the crème fraîche until stiff, then fold in the yogurt. Set 2 strawberries and 9 raspberries aside and roughly chop the rest. Tip the chopped berries, mint and ginger into a bowl. Sprinkle with a little icing sugar and use a wooden spoon to mash to a rough purée. Gently fold the berries into the yogurt mix, adding icing sugar to taste.
• To assemble, cut the remaining strawberries into 9 slices and place a slice inside each meringue case. Generously share the rippled cream between the cases, then top with a raspberry and a mint sprig. Dust with a little icing sugar just before serving. ( Meringues keep in an airtight container for 2 days.)

COFFEE MERINGUE WITH CREAM & SUMMER FRUITS

Steps:

• pre-heat oven to 140 degrees.
• begin by sifting the icing sugar and the coffee powder together.
• in a seperate bowl, whisk egg whites on high speed until start to stiffen.
• slowly add caster sugar while still whisking.
• turn of machine.
• vigerously beat in the sifted icing sugar and coffee powder using a slotted spoon.
• spoon mixture onto center of a lined baking sheet and then using a palette knife, spread a circle roughly 28cms in diameter and about 2cm thick.
• place into center of pre-heated oven and cook for about 1-1 1/2 hours.
• by which time the meringue should look cracked on the top and still a litle soft in the center.
• remove from the oven.
• carefully lift off paper and set to wire rack to cool.
• when ready to serve.
• whisk cream until it just holds and then spread loosely over the top of the meringue.
• scatter the summer fruits of your choice liberally over the top of the cream, and cut into slices.

LIGHTER SUMMER PAVLOVA

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 150C/130C fan/gas 2. Cover a large baking sheet with baking parchment and use a pencil to draw a 20cm circle in the middle. Turn the parchment over.
• For the meringue, mix together the cornflour, vinegar and vanilla, and set aside. Whisk the egg whites in a large bowl until the mixture stands in stiff peaks. Tip in 1 tsp of the caster sugar, beat for a few seconds, then carry on adding and whisking in the caster sugar, 1 tsp at a time - this will give you a thick, glossy mixture. Sift and gently fold in half the icing sugar with a large metal spoon. Add the rest of the icing sugar in the same way, being careful not to overmix. Fold in the reserved cornflour mixture.
• Secure the parchment with some meringue mixture (see tip) if you want. Dollop a couple of big spoonfuls of the mixture into the middle of the circle on the baking parchment, then spread it out gently to make a 15cm circular base, about 1.5cm thick. (At this point you can give the remaining meringue mixture a pink ripple effect, if you like, by briefly swirling some food colouring through it with a knife.)
• Place a large spoonful of meringue on the edge of your meringue base to come out to the edge of the pencil circle. Repeat with 7 more spoonfuls in the same way, creating the raised edging for the pavlova and leaving a wide hollow for the fruit and cream to go in later. Fill any gaps in the edging with a blob of meringue. Bake for 1 hr - if you gently tap the meringue, it should sound crisp. Turn off the oven but leave the meringue inside for 1 hr to cool gradually. Remove, carefully peel off the baking parchment and leave to cool completely on a wire rack. Can be made up to three days ahead and stored in an airtight tin, or wrapped in foil.
• When you are ready to serve the pavlova, prepare the filling. Whisk the whipping cream to stiff peaks. Fold in the Greek yogurt, then the crème fraîche and sugar. Scatter half the strawberries, raspberries and blueberries onto the base of the meringue. Cut the passion fruits in half widthways, scoop out the pulp and seeds, and scatter over the berries. Spoon about half of the yogurt mixture on top. Scatter over some of the remaining berries, top this with more spoonfuls of the yogurt mix, then finish off with the rest of the berries. Dust lightly with icing sugar and a scattering of mint leaves, if you like. Serve straight away - if you leave it sitting for too long, the creamy filling and juicy fruits will cause the meringue to start to soften.

IRISH COFFEE MERINGUE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300°F Draw two 7-inch circles on a sheet of parchment paper.
• Place the egg whites in a spotlessly clean and dry bowl. Add the 3/4 cup confectioners sugar and whisk until the mixture stands in medium peaks.
• Sift the coffee powder with the remaining confectioners' sugar and carefully fold into the egg whites.
• Carefully spread the meringue with a palette knife onto the circles on the parchment paper. Bake for 20-30 minutes or until crisp.
• The disks should peel easily from the paper. Allow to cool completely.
• Add the whiskey to the whipped cream. Place into a pastry bag. Sandwich the meringue disks together with 2/3 of the flavored cream.
• Pipe 5 rosettes on the top with the remaining whipped cream. Decorate with chocolate-coated coffee beans. TO SLICE: Use a sharp thin knife that has been heated by sitting in very hot water.