SUMMER BERRY MERINGUES

Summer berry meringues image

Gordon Ramsay gives us a masterclass in meringues - the perfect prepare-ahead pudding

Provided by Gordon Ramsay

Categories Afternoon tea, Buffet, Dessert, Treat

Time 2h40m

Number Of Ingredients 11

Ingredients

3 egg whites
½ tsp lemon juice
150g caster sugar
200ml tub crème fraîche
200ml natural yogurt
300g strawberry , hulled
250g raspberry
small bunch mint , leaves stripped and finely chopped
small knob fresh root ginger , peeled and finely grated
5 tbsp icing sugar (you may not need it all)
9 little sprigs of mint and icing sugar, to decorate

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.)

Nutrition Facts : Calories 217 calories, Fat 9 grams fat, SaturatedFat 6 grams saturated fat, Carbohydrate 32 grams carbohydrates, Sugar 32 grams sugar, Fiber 1 grams fiber, Protein 3 grams protein, Sodium 0.13 milligram of sodium