Strawberry Cream Meringues
February 2, 2010 by admin
Filed under Desserts, Holidays, Uncategorized, Valentine's Day
What can I say? Dessert is my favorite part of the meal. I especially enjoy light, sweet and luscious desserts like this one. It has been a while since I made this, but now I am craving it again. This is a real contender for Valentine’s day.
Make the meringues in a heart shape for a romantic dessert. (Mine shown are not.) The whipped cream and strawberries on a meringue shell is a light and luscious dessert that satisfies the sweet tooth with a minimum of sugar.
Don’t put the cream into the meringue shells until you are ready to serve these, the meringue will begin to melt from the moisture if they have to sit at all.
Valentine Meringue Hearts
Photo by WorththeWisk
Meringues:
3 Egg whites
1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon Cream of tartar
1 dash Salt
1 cup Sugar
Whipped Cream Topping
1 cup whipping cream
3 to 6 Tablespoons powdered sugar, to taste
1 pint Strawberries, sliced -reserve a few for garnish
Mint leaves for garnish- optional
Directions:
Photo by Angusf
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 fingers to feel that no sugar remains undissolved.
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 or build a rim with a spoon.
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.
Store meringue shells in a dry place until ready to fill. Do not refrigerate.
Add the powdered sugar to the whipping cream and beat the cream until soft peaks form. Taste the cream for sweetness, you want a barely sweet whipped cream.
Mix in the strawberries, reserving a few for garnish.
Assemble:
When you are ready to serve, place a large scoop of the strawberry cream onto the meringue shell. Garnish with reserved strawberries and a little mint if desired.
