As I’ve mentioned before, summer and I are not friends. I don’t like heat, humidity, flies, insects, sweating. Obviously I shouldn’t be living in steamy Sydney but here I am. And as much as I adore baking it is sometimes just too damn hot to turn the oven.
That’s where this beauty of a dessert comes in. I found the recipe in a back issue of the wonderful delicious magazine and had, serendipitously, made meringues a few days earlier.
Here’s a handy ratio table that you can use whenever you have left-over eggwhites to make meringues, courtesy of food52.com:
http://food52.com/blog/9946-how-to-make-meringues-with-any-amount-of-leftover-egg-whites
I will making this for Christmas this year as it is cold and refreshing and a slice makes the perfect side to almost any other festive dessert you care to name.
GATHER:
350g frozen mixed berries
600mL thickened cream
2 tablespoons caster sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Large handful of meringue, either home-made or store bought, broken into big pieces.
LET’S GET TO IT:
Grease a 1.5L loaf pan and line with plastic wrap and allow lots of extra overhang.
Use a small handful of the prettiest berries to line the tin – this will be the top of the dessert so you want it to look good.
In bowl of electric mixer whip cream, sugar and vanilla to just before soft peaks.
Use a silver spoon to gently stir through meringues and berries.
Pour into pan, gently tap on bench to remove any air bubbles, then gently smooth over the top with a butter knife.
Cover top with overhanging plastic wrap and freeze overnight.
Remove from freezer 15 minutes before serving. Place on platter then cut into slices to serve.
