Valentine Meringue Hearts Recipes

Steps:

• Cut a heart pattern from a 4-1/2 inch square of paper. Cover baking sheet with brown paper. (You can bake on the brown paper so make sure it is clean.) Grocery store bags without writing on them are okay. Draw 6 hearts on the brown paper using your pattern as a guide.
• Beat egg whites with vanilla, cream of tartar and salt until frothy. Add sugar, a little at a time, and continue beating until stiff peaks form and sugar is dissolved. Rub a bit between your figures to feel that no sugar remains undissolved. Add food coloring, a few drops to make a delicate pink color.
• Spread meringue over the heart shapes, 1/4 inch thick. Make into the heart shape using a spoon to push and form into correct shape. Pipe rim 3/4 inch high with pastry tube.
• Bake in preheated 275-degree oven for 1 hour. Turn off oven and let meringues dry in oven for 1 more hour. DO NOT open oven door during this time.
• Fill the cooled meringues with scoops of ice cream and top with strawberries. Decorate with mint leaves if desired.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 175 degrees. Place egg whites, sugar, and cream of tartar in a heatproof mixer bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Whisk until sugar dissolves, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a mixer, and beat with mixer on medium-high speed until stiff, glossy peaks form, about 7 minutes. Divide meringue into batches, and tint each with food coloring as desired. Transfer to pastry bags fitted with medium open star tips. Pipe hearts (1/2 to 1 inch each) onto parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake for 2 hours. Turn oven off, and let meringues stand in oven for 8 hours (or overnight).

Steps:

• Heat oven to 275°F. Line cookie sheet with cooking parchment paper. In large bowl, beat egg whites and cream of tartar with electric mixer on medium speed until foamy. On high speed, beat in 1 tablespoon of the granulated sugar at a time until stiff glossy peaks form and sugar is almost dissolved, about 6 minutes. Spread meringue to form 10x10-inch heart shape on cookie sheet, building up edges with back of spoon.
• Bake 45 to 50 minutes or until firm and dry to the touch. Turn oven off; let meringue shell stand in closed oven 1 hour. Slide meringue shell and parchment paper from cookie sheet onto wire rack. Cool completely, about 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in medium bowl, beat whipping cream with electric mixer on high speed until stiff peaks form. In large bowl, beat cream cheese and powdered sugar with mixer on medium speed until fluffy. Gradually beat in melted baking bar until smooth and creamy. Gently fold in whipped cream.
• Carefully remove meringue shell from parchment paper; place shell on serving plate. Spread cream mixture evenly in shell. Cover; refrigerate at least 2 hours.
• In medium bowl, gently mix pie filling and strawberries. Spoon 1 1/2 cups fruit mixture over top of dessert. Garnish with mint sprigs. Serve remaining fruit mixture to be spooned over individual servings.