Don’t let the the title of this post fool you. You saw meringue up there and you thought, Oh, great, a nice, light summer dessert, didn’t you?
This is not a nice, light summer dessert. This is a fluff-bomb.
But it is a really fantastic fluff-bomb: melt-in-your-mouth meringue, sweet vanilla whipped cream, caramel, and the freshest summer berries, sprinkled with tiny sprigs of mouth-brightening mint and crunchy toasted hazelnuts. And, with obvious exceptions (sugar, hazelnuts, vanilla), it can be made with all local ingredients.
The original recipe comes from Jamie Oliver’s excellent Cook with Jamie, the book that dashed the unjustified skepticism I’d harbored about that tawny-haired hunky cook. It’s written casually, the photography is beautiful, and all the recipes we’ve tried out of it so far have been great. Plus, Jamie seems to have a big, warm heart, and that counts for a lot.
But back to the fluff-bomb. Dan and I had picked it out to try as a dessert for a little brunch party we were having last weekend. We thought it would be the perfect way to showcase the bounty of berries we’d just picked at Lakeview Orchard, plus it seemed light enough to serve after a breakfast of homemade croissants and baked eggs with pesto.
However, light is not a word I would use to describe this meringue, except in terms of its weight. It is rich, sweet, and delectable, but light it is not. I have to tell you — fluff-bomb though it was, we certainly didn’t refrain from polishing off half the thing in one sitting. Just see if you can resist.
Fluffy Cloud Meringue Bomb with Red and Black Raspberries
Adapted from Jamie Oliver’s Cook with Jamie
You can change out the raspberries for any seasonal fruit — the recipe would work just as well with strawberries, blueberries, or cherries. For the caramel, you can make your own or use prepared caramel. We used the incredible goat’s milk caramel from Fat Toad Farm.
For the Meringue
6 large egg whites
1 c. plus 5 tbs. superfine sugar
a pinch salt
Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Line a 12×4 inch baking sheet with waxed paper. Put the egg whites in a large bowl and beat with a handheld or stand mixer until stiff peaks form. With the mixer still running, gradually add the sugar and salt. Turn the mixer up to high and beat for another 7 or 8 minutes, until the mixture is white and glossy and perfectly smooth. Using a spatula, spread the meringue onto the baking pan, and bake for an hour, until it is crisp on the outside, but soft on the inside. Set the meringue aside to cool.
Everything Else
1 3/4 oz. peeled hazelnuts
1 2/3 c. heavy cream
2 tbs. powdered sugar, sifted
1 vanilla bean, scored lengthwise and seeds removed
a pint each of red and black raspberries
prepared caramel
small bunch mint leaves
Put the hazelnuts in a baking pan and toast in the oven for several minutes, until they are light brown. Keep an eye on them so they don’t burn. Crush them lightly in a mortar and pestle and set aside. Whip the cream with the powdered sugar and vanilla bean seeds until it forms soft peaks. Using your fingers, gently press down on the center of the cooled meringue to create a hollow in the middle. Sprinkle in some crushed hazelnuts, then some berries, and some vanilla whipped cream. Repeat the layers until you’ve used up all the ingredients.
Drizzle the top of the meringue with caramel, and scatter the mint leaves over everything.