Ingredients
Meringues:
3 large egg whites
150g caster sugar
1/2 tsp cream of tartat
Blackberry Sauce:
150g blackberries
3 tbsp caster sugar
1/2 tbsp cornflour
To decorate:
150ml double cream
Blackberries
Mint
Method
- Start with the blackberry sauce as you want this to be cool by the time you use it! Mix the berries in a pan with sugar and the cornflour (the cornflour isn't essential but it helps to thicken it a little bit) on a medium heat, make sure you a squishes the berries to release the juice, and let it simmer for a few minutes.
- Remove from the heat and pass through a seive to remove all the seeds. You will be left with a smooth blackberry sauce, leave this to one side to cool.
- Next, move on to the meringue. Whisk the egg whites and cream of tartar until it is frothy. Then, one spoonful at a time, add the sugar until it has all been added. You are whisking air into the meringue, so you don't want to throw all the sugar in at once and knock the air out. Keep whisking until it has reached a stiff peak. You should be able to hold the bowl upside down without it falling out!
- Drizzle half of the blackberry sauce over the top of the meringue. Very carefully, fold it ever so slightly into the meringue. You want a nice ripple effect, so don't mix it fully in. A few swirls will do!
- Transfer it to a piping bag, and start to pipe your nests onto a lined baking tray. Start by piping one circle, lifting your nozzle, and then piping a ring on top of the circle to create a nest for the cream to sit in. This amount of meringue made 9 small nests. I use a tiny bit of the meringue to stick the baking paper down so it doesn't flap in the oven. If you don't have piping bags and nozzles, just dollop the meringue onto the baking tray and make a little well to add the cream later!
- Bake the meringues for around 1 hour 45 - 2 hours at 100 C (fan). The key with meringues is to not bake at too high a temperature. If you do, they will crack and turn a brownish colour. You then want to let them cool in the oven, you can do this overnight, or if you don't have time, just leave them in there for an hour or so.
- Whip up the double cream, dollop it or pipe it into the nests, top with the remaining blackberry sauce, and add a blackberry and some mint for decoration!
- Enjoy! x
