Brown sugar meringues with strawberries and cream

This delicious dessert by Maggie Beer  is best when served straight after preparation and nicely complements any Christmas meal. 

Ingredients

1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar

3/4 cup caster sugar

3/4 tbspn corn flour

3 eggs at room temperature, whites separated

1 pinch salt

1 tspn Verjuice

Method

1. To make the meringues. Preheat the fan forced oven to 120C. Grease & line two flat baking trays and place aside.

2. Place the brown sugar, caster sugar & corn flour into a mixing bowl and combine together well. In the bowl of an electric mixer, whisk the egg whites with the pinch of salt until soft peaks form. With the motor running, slowly add the sugar mixture, a little at a time, whisking until stiff and glossy.

3. Then fold in the Verjuice and dividing the mixture into ten meringues (or ten flat disc) onto the lined baking tray’s, transfer to the oven and bake for 1 hour. Cool completely in the switched-off oven with the door ajar. Whilst the mixture will make ten, the balance will keep for another dish.

4. Once the meringues have completely cooled remove from the oven, and roughly crush.

5. To warm the strawberries, place a large non-stick frying pan over a low medium heat, add the strawberries, lightly toss until they are just warm, remove from heat and add the Vino Cotto, gentle toss to coat the strawberries and set a side.

6. To plate up, place some of the crushed meringue on the bottom of six plates, top each plate of meringue with two wholesome scoops of Strawberries and Cream Ice Cream, spoon over the warm strawberries then finish off with more crushed meringue over top.

7. Serve immediately.