How to make meringues with stone fruits and strawberry sauce

Julia Platt Leonard’s pavlova with seasonal fruits makes for a light but indulgent dessert

Prepare the the night before and store any extra in the freezer ready for next time (Photography by Julia Platt Leonard)

Making a meringue is a bit of cooking magic. You start with nothing more than a few egg whites, add in some sugar and with a bit of elbow grease (or an electric mixer) you get something glossy and fluffy.

Spoon them onto a baking parchment- lined pan as individual meringues or as a giant pavlova and you’re sorted.

Best of all, you can make meringues ahead of time. In the summer, all you need to finish them off are some seasonal fruits.

Any of the stone fruits are ideal such as apricots, peaches or nectarines or a combination based on what looks and smells ripest. A strawberry sauce adds some colour and can be whipped up easily the day before.

The only step you’ll want to do at the last minute is to slice your stone fruits and toss with sugar.

You want to give them a quarter of an hour or so to macerate because if left too long they go soft. Any leftover meringues can be stored in an air tight container for a few days.

To really get ahead of the game, next time you have any leftover egg whites, store them in the freezer so you’re ready to make meringues whenever you want.

(Julia Platt Leonard)

Meringues with summer fruits and strawberry sauce

Serves 8

Meringues

3 egg whites​
175g caster sugar
Strawberry sauce​
250g strawberries
2 tbsp caster sugar
1 tsp white balsamic vinegar
Pinch of salt

Stone fruits

500g stone fruit, apricots, peaches or nectarines
1-2 tsp caster sugar
Pinch of salt
Mint leaves to garnish

Preheat the oven to 125C.

To make the meringues, whip the egg whites in a clean mixing bowl until they form soft peaks. Continue whipping the eggs and add the sugar one spoonful at a time. Line a baking tray with a piece of baking parchment. Spoon the mixture into rounds on the tray, making 8 meringues. Take the spoon and gently create a bowl shape in the centre of each one to hold the fruit.

Place the tray in the preheated oven and bake for around 1 ½ hours or until the meringues are crisp on the outside. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on a rack.

While the meringues are baking, make the strawberry sauce. Hull and slice the strawberries. Place in a small saucepan along with the sugar, pinch of salt and white balsamic vinegar.

Heat over medium heat until the strawberries are softened. Blitz with a stick blender or in a blender until smooth. Place in a clean jar and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Right before serving, slice the stone fruit and add in the sugar and a pinch of salt. Stir and taste. The riper the fruit, the less sugar you’ll need. Adjust as needed. Let sit for a few minutes for the flavours to marry.

To serve, spoon a bit of strawberry sauce into each meringue, top with some of the stone fruits and another drizzle of the sauce. Garnish with the mint leaves and serve.

@Juliapleonard