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Desserts

Vanilla Heart-Shaped Meringues filled with Cranberries 

Vanilla Meringues

4	egg whites
pinch	salt
1½ cups	caster sugar
½ teaspoon	vanilla essence
	icing sugar for dusting

 

1. Preheat oven to 180°C.
2. Line 2 heavy baking trays with baking paper and draw 6 small heart shapes on each tray (12 in total).
3. Whip egg whites with salt until stiff but not dry.
4. Add caster sugar 1 tablespoon at a time beating until mixture is glossy before adding the next tablespoon sugar.
5. Continue beating until mixture is very thick and glossy.
6. Stir through vanilla essence.
7. Using a spoon or piping bag shape meringue mixture into heart shapes on prepared trays.
8. Place tray in preheated oven, reduce heat to 160°C and bake for 1-1 ¼ hour or until firm and dry.
9. Cool and store in an air-tight container until ready to use.

 

Cranberry Filling

2 cups	fresh or frozen cranberries
1/3 cup	caster sugar
1	orange, grated with rind and juice
2 tablespoons	Grand Marnier
300ml	cream, whipped
½ teaspoon	vanilla essence

 

1. Place cranberries, caster sugar, orange rind and juice in a small saucepan.
2. Heat gently until sugar dissolves and berries just start to release some colour.
3. Add Grand Marnier and cool.
4. Whip cream with vanilla until firm.
5. Place a heart-shaped meringue on to each serving plate, top with whipped cream and spoon over a tablespoon of the berries.
6. Top each with a second meringue heart.
7. Dust with icing sugar and drizzle a little of the juice around the edge of the plate.