MERINGUES KISSES

Meringues are a good way to use up leftover egg whites.  The basic ratio is twice the amount of sugar to egg white.  For this recipe you will need:

2 egg whites
110g caster sugar
optional: a few drops flavoured extract eg vanilla, hazelnut

• Preheat oven to 140*c/120*c fan.
• Put the egg whites in a clean, grease free bowl and whisk until the reach stiff peaks
• Slowly add the caster sugar, 1 tbsp at a time, whisking for 10 seconds between each addition. The mixture will go stiff and glossy.
• Pipe or spoon onto a baking tray. For candy stripe meringues, turn the piping bag inside out and paint stripes of food colouring on the inside of the bag.  Turn the bag back and fill with meringue mixture, then pipe into any shape that you like (the meringues will not grow or change shape in the oven) – nests and kisses are popular shapes
• Bake for 40 mins or until the meringues will lift of the baking paper. Leave to cool, then serve with cream or icecream

For something a bit more fancy

LAYERED MERINGUE DESSERT

3 egg whites
150g caster sugar
1 tsp vanilla
3 tbsp ground almonds / ground hazelnuts
250g mascarpone
250g double cream
2 tbsp icing sugar
1 tsp vanilla
seasonal fruit

– Preheat the oven to 140*c.  Line a baking sheet with baking paper
– separate the eggs.  Place the whites in a bowl and whisk to stiff peaks
– whisk in the sugar, a spoon at a time, bringing it back to stiff peaks each time
–  whisk in the vanilla and fold through the ground almonds
– spread the mixture into two equal size rectangles or circles and bake in the oven for 30-40 minutes until cooked through.  Set aside to cool
– once cool, transfer one of the meringue to a serving dish.  Whip together the vanilla, mascarpone, cream and icing sugar until think, then spread it over the meringue.  Top with seasonal fruits, then place the second layer of meringue on to.  Top with additional fruit and sprinkle with icing sugar