Summer berry meringues
Gordon Ramsay gives us a masterclass in meringues – the perfect prepare-ahead pudding
Preparation Time
40 MINS
Cook Time
20 MINS
Ingredients
For the meringue nests
3 egg whites
½ tsp lemon juice
150g caster sugar
For the rippled cream
200ml tub crème fraîche
200ml natural yogurt
300g strawberries, hulled
250g raspberries
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
Method
1. 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. 2. Keep the whisk running and add the sugar a tbsp at a time, incorporating completely before adding the next. 3. Whisk until all the sugar has been added and the whites are glossy.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. 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.)
