Meringue With Strawberries And Cream Food

AMARETTO MERINGUE CAKE WITH STRAWBERRIES & CHERRIES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 140C/120C fan/gas 1 and cut 3 pieces of baking parchment to fit 3 baking sheets for the meringues (if you don't have 3 baking sheets, you can cook it in batches - simply divide the meringue mixture into 3 and cook separately). Using a plate or the base of a cake tin, draw a 20cm circle on each piece of parchment, then flip over so that the pencil side is facing down. Put 3 oven racks in your oven - if you only have 2 but have a large grill pan, this will work too, sat in the bottom of the oven.
• Put the egg whites in a large bowl, and whisk with an electric hand whisk until thick and holding soft peaks. Start adding the sugar, 1 or 2 tbsp at a time, whisking continuously. When all the sugar has been incorporated, the meringue should be thick, glossy and holding stiff peaks. Add the vinegar and whisk again briefly. Use a blob of meringue to stick down the corners of each piece of parchment to the trays. Divide the meringue between the 3 circles on the parchment, swirling it towards the outline to make thin circles. Scatter the almonds over, saving a few to serve on top once assembled. Bake for 1 hr, then leave to cool in the oven.
• When the oven is completely cold, remove the meringues and place somewhere cool and dry for up to 24 hrs, or assemble straight away. Toss the fruit with 1 tbsp icing sugar and set aside to macerate for 10-15 mins. Pour the cream, amaretto, almond extract and remaining icing sugar into a large bowl, and whisk until softly whipped. Use a little of the cream to stick your least successful meringue to a cake stand or plate. Spread over a third of the cream and scatter with some strawberries and cherries. Top with the remaining meringues, cream and fruit, finishing the top layer with the whole strawberries and cherries. Scatter over the remaining almonds and serve. Leftovers will keep in the fridge for 1 day.

FLUFFY STRAWBERRY MERINGUE PIE

Steps:

• In a bowl, beat egg whites and cream of tartar on medium speed until soft peaks form. gradually beat in sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, on high until stiff glossy peaks form and sugar is dissolved. Fold in the crackers, pecans and vanilla., Spread onto the bottom and up the sides of a greased 10-in. deep-dish pie plate. Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until meringue is lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack., Set aside one strawberry for garnish. Slice half of the strawberries; set aside. In a bowl, mash the remaining strawberries; drain juice, reserving 1/2 cup. In a saucepan, combine marshmallows and reserved juice. Cook and stir over low heat until marshmallows are melted. Refrigerate until partially set., Fold the sliced and mashed strawberries and whipped topping into marshmallow mixture. Add food coloring if desired. Spoon into meringue shell. Garnish with the reserved strawberry. Refrigerate for 3 hours or until set. Refrigerate leftovers.

STRAWBERRY PAVLOVA

Steps:

• Heat oven to 150C/130C fan/gas 2.
• Using a pencil, mark out the circumference of a dinner plate on baking parchment.
• Whisk 4 egg whites with a hand mixer until they form stiff peaks, then whisk in 250g caster sugar, 1 tbsp at a time, until the meringue looks glossy.
• Whisk in 1 tsp white wine vinegar, 1 tsp cornflour and 1 tsp vanilla extract.
• Spread the meringue inside the circle, creating a crater by making the sides a little higher than the middle.
• Bake for 1 hr, then turn off the heat and let the Pavlova cool completely inside the oven.
• When the meringue is cool, chop 100g of the hulled strawberries. Mix them with 100g of the redcurrants and 2 tbsp icing sugar.
• Place in a food processor, blitz until smooth, then push the fruit mixture through a sieve.
• Whip 350ml double cream with the remaining 1 tbsp icing sugar and spread it over the meringue. Put the remaining 400g hulled and halved strawberries and 100g redcurrants on the cream and finally pour the sauce over the whole lot.

MERINGUE WITH STRAWBERRIES AND CREAM

Steps:

• Whip the whipping cream powder with 1 glass of water (I use water instead of milk to make it lighter, but you could use milk for a richer cream).
• Cut the strawberries in halves.
• Add strawberries to whipped cream and mix well.
• Serve the cream on top of each meringue only when about to be served so that meringue stays crispy. You could garnish with a strawberry on top.