Ingredients

• 4 free-range egg whites
• 200g/7oz caster sugar
• 750g/1lb 11oz strawberries
• hulls removed
• 500ml/17½fl oz double cream
• 3-4 tbsp icing sugar
• to taste

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 130C/275F/Gas ½.
• For the meringue
• whisk the egg whites in a clean bowl until soft peaks form when the whisk is removed. Gradually add the caster sugar
• whisking continuously
• until all of the sugar is incorporated and stiff peaks form when the whisk is removed.
• Place a few dots of meringue onto a baking tray
• then lay greaseproof paper on top (the meringue will help hold the paper in place on the tray). Spoon 8-12 dollops of the meringue onto the paper
• leaving a generous gap between each mound of meringue. (Prepare two meringues per person.)
• Bake the meringues in the oven for one hour to one hour and 30 minutes
• or until the meringues are firm but still slightly soft in the middle. Remove from the oven and leave to cool on the baking tray.
• For the strawberry cream
• place half of the strawberries into a food processor and blend to a smooth purée. Reserve 4-6 of the remaining strawberries for garnish
• then roughly chop the rest and set aside.
• Whisk the cream in a bowl until soft peaks form when the whisk is removed
• then fold in the strawberry purée. Add icing sugar
• to taste
• then fold in the chopped strawberries.
• To serve
• place a spoonful of strawberry cream onto half of the meringues
• then top with a second meringue. Garnish with a whole strawberry and serve.