Heavenly Meringues

I do think there is something heavenly about meringues, and these ones came out particularly well, they just melted in the mouth like little sugary clouds filled with cream.

I've been using the same simple recipe for meringues for many years, it comes from Mary Berry's 'Fast Cakes' book first published in 1981 to accompany her appearances on Thames Television's After Noon Plus programme.  I never saw the programme but Mary was featured in many magazines at the time.  This is the book I turn to for good basic recipes for scones, traybakes, sponges and biscuits.

Basic White Meringues

4 egg whites

225g caster sugar

whipping cream

Heat the oven to 200F, 100C, gas 1/4 and ine two baking sheets with silicone paper.

Put the egg whites in a large bowl and whisk until they form soft peaks.  Add the sugar, a teaspoonful at a time, whisking well after each addition, unti all the sugar has been added.  Using two dessertspooons, spoon the meringue out onto the baking sheets, putting 12 meringues on each tray.

Bake in the oven for 3-4 hours until the meringues are firm and dry and will lift easily from the paper.  They wshould be pale off white.

Whisk the cream until it is thick and use it to sandwich the meringues together.