Raspberry Swirl Meringues

Today I am feeling blessed to have attended the baby shower of a very dear friend. She has been mentor, colleague, and friend and I feel fortunate to have shared this special day with her.

I wanted to bring something yummy to the shower, so I brought out my favourite recipe découverte of last year: raspberry swirl meringues.

These are just the most scrumptious, melt-in-your-mouth treats. I made them last Christmas with a salted caramel sauce (you can get my recipe here) but they are every bit as delicious without the sauce.

Hindsight’s 20-20 here, as I should have tried making blueberry meringues since my friend is having a boy, but there you go.

The recipe is dead simple (and is adapted from Style at Home magazine of November 2013):

4 egg whites

1 1/2 cups of icing sugar

1/2 cup of seedless raspberry jam

Preheat your over to 200°.

1. In a bowl, beat the egg whites on medium-high speed until soft peaks form.

2. Increase the speed and begin adding the sugar, a bit at a time until is it completely incorporated.

3. Continue to beat the sugar and egg white mixture on high speed until firm, glossy peaks form. (AKA when you can lift the beaters and the mixture stays in a good, thick peak. It took me way too long to figure that out, but no-one really tells you what « stiff peaks » means. You’re just supposed to know. Somehow. This is why I used to hate baking.)

4. Plop a spoonful of the jam into the egg white mixture and swirl it in one section of the bowl with a spatula. Dollop spoonfuls of the swirly mixture onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet.

5. Repeat that step until you’ve used up all your jam and egg white mixture!

6. Bake the meringues for 2 1/2 hours in the middle of the oven.

Et voilà: la perfection!