We’re at the tail-end of spring and there is not another dessert I can think of that celebrates the season like berries & cream. Since I had some extra meringue, when I made that layered Saffron Semifreddo last week, I decided to make a few extra meringues and got creative. You start making your standard round and then just keep going around the perimeter building the walls up. You’re left with a little bowl for fillings. I also made a little maceration…a sauce…or is it more of a confit? I don’t know exactly how to describe it, but it is otherworldly and helps pump up the flavor of the berries. This is one of those desserts you make to impress, but just between us, this is super easy to pull off.
Berries & Cream in Meringue Bowls
Meringues
2 egg whites
¼ tsp cream of tartar
½ cup superfine sugar
¼ tsp pure vanilla extract
Pastry bag fitted with star tip (or a large ziplock bag with a ¼” corner cut away)
Berries
1 cup strawberries, hulled, halved & sliced
1 cup blackberries, halved
½ cup blueberries
½ cup raspberries
3 tbsp light brown sugar
Cream
½ cup heavy cream
1 tbsp superfine sugar
Prepare the meringues a few hours before you prepare the dessert, or even the day before. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 200 degrees, placing a rack in the lower third of the oven.
While the oven heats, add the whites to a bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with a whisk, and mix on medium-low until they become foamy. Then add in the cream of tartar and continue to mix until soft peaks form. Then add in the sugar, a tablespoon at-a-time, increasing the motor speed to medium-high, and mix until the sugar is fully integrated.
Continue mixing for about 5 minutes, until very stiff and glossy. Add in the vanilla, and continue to beat on medium-high speed for about a minute. Transfer the meringue to your pastry bag and pipe out into rough 3” rounds. Place in the oven and bake for 2 hours. Turn off the heat and let them cool in the oven for an hour or so, reserve.
The smaller ones are ideal for the semifreddo dessert, this time, make the one on the right.
About an hour prior to serving, prepare your berries. Place 1 cup of the prepared berries in a bowl and add in the brown sugar. Using a potato masher, pulverize the fruit until the sugar has dissolved.
Stir in the remaining berries until fully coated. Let this sit for about 30-45 minutes, stirring every so often.
Just before serving, prepare the whipped cream. Combine the cream and sugar in a bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with a whisk and beat on medium-high speed until soft peaks form. Taste the cream, adding sugar only if necessary. It should be very lightly sweet as the berries and meringue will deliver the sweetness. Continue beating until stiff peaks form.
To serve, spoon a little cream into the bottom of the meringue bowl. Top with some berries and garnish with mint and a little dollop of cream.
______________________________ Copyright 2023, Brendan McCann, All Rights Reserved.
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