Red Fruit Meringues

Here is the recipe for delicious red fruit meringues, with an Italian touch that could be the use of fresh red fruits typical of Italian regions like wild strawberries or raspberries.

Ingredients

• 4 room temperature egg whites
• 220 g of granulated sugar
• 1 pinch of salt
• 1/2 teaspoon of lemon juice
• Fresh red fruits (for example, wild strawberries, raspberries, currants)
• Icing sugar (optional, for decoration)

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 90-100 °C.
2. Carefully clean the red fruits and set them aside.
3. Whip the egg whites with a pinch of salt until foamy.
4. Add the lemon juice and continue to whip.
5. Add sugar one tablespoon at a time, continuing to whip until the mixture is shiny and firm.
6. Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
7. Use a piping bag to place the meringue mixture on the tray. You can make small mounds or the shape you prefer.
8. Bake in the preheated oven for about 1 hour and 30 minutes, or until the meringues are dry to the touch and can be easily lifted off the paper.
9. Turn off the oven and leave the meringues to dry inside with the door closed for another hour.
10. Once cool, decorate the meringues with fresh red fruits and, if desired, a dusting of icing sugar.

Fun Fact

Meringue is a very versatile dessert that can be made in various ways. To give it a more Italian touch, you might consider serving the meringues with a homemade red fruit sauce, maybe with a Chianti reduction to intensify the flavor and add an unexpected “winey” touch.