Summer Berry Meringues Recipes

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.)

Steps:

• Using electric mixer, beat yolks in medium bowl to blend. Add sugar and beat on high speed until thick and pale yellow, about 3 minutes. Reduce speed to low; beat in cornstarch.
• Place milk in heavy medium saucepan. Scrape seeds from vanilla bean into milk; add bean. Bring mixture to boil. Gradually whisk hot milk into yolk mixture. Return mixture to same pan. Cook over medium heat until very thick and center of mixture is bubbling, whisking constantly, about 2 minutes. Remove pastry cream from heat. Whisk 1 minute. Strain into large bowl. Place sheet of plastic wrap directly onto surface. Chill until cold, at least 3 hours. (Pastry cream can be made 1 day ahead. Keep refrigerated.)
• Whip cream in large bowl until stiff peaks form. Whisk pastry cream to loosen. Fold 1 cup whipped cream into pastry cream. Fold in remaining whipped cream. Cover and refrigerate while preparing fruit.
• Place meringues in large resealable plastic bag and seal. Coarsely crush meringues with mallet, leaving some large pieces (there should be about 6 cups). Place nectarines in another large bowl. Fold 1/2 cup peach preserves into nectarines. Place peaches in another large bowl. Fold remaining 1/2 cup peach preserves into peaches. Place 3 containers boysenberries in another large bowl; fold in boysenberry preserves. Spread 2 cups crushed meringues over bottom of 14-cup trifle dish. Spoon nectarines over meringues. Spread 13/4 cups pastry cream over fruit. Cover fruit with 2 cups crushed meringues. Spoon boysenberry mixture over meringues. Spread 13/4 cups pastry cream over fruit. Cover fruit with 2 cups crushed meringues. Spoon peach mixture over meringues. Place remaining cream in large dollop in center of trifle. Decorate top with additional berries. Refrigerate at least 3 hours and up to 5 hours.