A Western New York adult twist on a classic British dessert.
Ingredients
SERVINGS: 4 - 6 Serving(s)
- 2 cups fresh summer berries, frozen for 4-5 hours (blackberries, strawberries, raspberries or whatever is seasonally available)
- 12 ounces heavy whipping cream
- 6 meringue nests, crushed (see below for recipe)
- 2 ounces dry gin (or sloe gin if you prefer something sweeter)
- Fruit bitters of choice – I used blueberry
- A few springs of mint for garnish
Instructions
- Pulse the frozen berries in a blender or food processor with the gin.
- Add a few drops of bitters to the cream and whip into firm peaks.
- Fold half of the crushed meringues into the whipped cream.
- Layer the berry mixture, whip mix, and remaining meringue in glasses and top with a few frozen berries and fresh mint leaves.
For a non-alcoholic version, substitute pomegranate or cranberry juice for the gin and orange or vanilla extract for the bitters.
Preparation
Meringue Nests
Prep time: 10 minutes | Cook time: 1 hour 45 minutes | Preheat oven: 300 degrees (F)
Ingredients:
4 large egg whites
1 1/3 cups extra fine granulated sugar (or blitz granulated sugar in a coffee or spice grinder until it is a super-fine consistency but not powdery)
Whisk the egg whites until they form soft peaks. Add the sugar a spoonful at a time, whisking constantly. The mixture is ready when it is forms stiff peaks and has a glossy finish.
Spoon small mounds onto a cookie sheet lined with wax paper. Bake for 15 minutes at 300 degrees (F). Lower the temperature to 225 degrees (F) and cook for another 1-1.5 hours until the meringues are crisp on the outside. Remove the nests from the sheet and cool on a wire rack.
