Fresh Berry Meringue Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F (95 degrees C). Butter and flour a baking sheet.
• In a glass or metal bowl, whip egg whites until foamy using an electric mixer. Sprinkle in sugar a little at a time, while continuing to whip at medium speed. When the mixture becomes stiff and shiny like satin, stop mixing, and transfer the mixture to a large pastry bag. Pipe the meringue out onto the prepared baking sheet using a large round tip or star tip.
• Place the meringues in the oven and place a wooden spoon handle in the door to keep it from closing all the way. Bake for 3 hours, or until the meringues are dry, and can easily be removed from the pan. Allow cookies to cool completely before storing in an airtight container at room temperature.

Steps:

• Mix the berries together in a bowl and toss gently with two tablespoons of the amaretto. Refrigerate.
• Combine the sugar and water in a small saucepan.
• Place the egg whites in a mixing bowl and beat just until they become frothy.
• Cook the sugar and water mixture until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture registers 237 degrees on a candy thermometer (soft ball stage). Remove from the heat.
• Beat the egg whites until they are softly peaked, then begin to drizzle in the sugar syrup in a thin stream, beating constantly. Continue beating until the egg whites are stiff and glossy. Fold in the remaining amaretto. Cover and refrigerate up to an hour, until just before serving time.
• Preheat oven to 500 degrees.
• Fold the berries into the meringue and spread the mixture in a gratin dish or a shallow baking dish. Place in the oven and bake about 10 minutes, until the meringue is puffy and lightly browned. Serve at once, garnished with whole strawberries.

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.)