You may (or may not) have noticed the blog has been completely inactive last week. Shocking, I know, but I have a good excuse. I was away on a week-long holiday in Mexico – a family reunion with my husband’s side of the family who travelled from all over Canada and the US to meet us in Cancun. You really can’t go wrong combining family with sun, sea and unlimited cocktails, can you… More on the holiday on a separate post – I have a few hundred photographs to process first!
What I ought to be doing right now is catching up on work – there’s a lot of emails waiting in my inbox and at least two new books to design… but I really can’t concentrate. I blame jet lag – despite an overnight flight on Saturday and going to bed early last night my brain is complete mush. But I also feel like I won’t be able to work until I publish a new post – I have missed blogging, cooking and photographing food so much it is kind of silly! I sort of wanted to HUG my kitchen when we got home yesterday – I was going around caressing the worktop like a lunatic.
Blackberry Meringues with Rum Chantilly Cream
Ingredients
- Blackberry syrup
- 300 g | 10.5oz fresh or frozen blackberries
- 100 g | 3.5oz | 1/2 cup sugar
- 60 ml | 2fl oz water
- For the meringues
- 150 g | 5.3oz egg whites 5 eggs
- 300 g | 10.5oz caster sugar
- 1 tsp cream of tartar
- pinch salt
- 1-2 tbsp blackberry syrup
- To serve
- 250 ml | 1 cup double cream
- 100 g | 3.5 icing sugar
- 2-3 tbsp white rum
- 100 g | 3.5oz fresh blackberries to serve
Instructions
- Bring the blackberries, sugar and water to the boil in a medium pot and then simmer for 20 minutes. Let the syrup cool, then strain into a sterilised container, pressing on the fruit with the back of a spoon. The syrup will keep in the fridge for several weeks if you don't use it all.
- Preheat the oven to 125C | 250F. Line a large tray with baking paper.
- Put the egg whites and cream of tartar in the bowl of your stand mixer (making sure it is spotlessly clean or the meringue will flop). Lightly whisk together until frothy.
- Start whisking at high speed and gradually add the sugar 1 tablespoon at a time.
- Once all the sugar has been added, continue whisking at high speed until the meringue is glossy, forms stiff peaks and doesn't feel gritty.
- Add the blackberry syrup and gently ripple it through the meringue.
- Spoon large dollops of the meringue on the prepared tray, spaced slightly apart.
- Lower the oven to 100C | 210F and bake the meringues for at least an hour or until they feel firm and their bases don't stick to the baking paper.
- Turn the oven off, open the door slightly and leave the meringues in the oven until it is completely cool. Gently peel the meringues off the baking paper.
- Whisk the cream and icing sugar until you have soft peaks. Add the rum and briefly whisk it in.
- Top the meringues with the whipped cream, drizzle with some syrup and top with a few fresh blackberries.
Kat BakingExplorer says
These look beautiful and the sun has come out just in time to make them even more enjoyable!
Jen Price says
I have a funny image of you running around your kitchen in delight now! Hope you had a great holiday. These meringues are absolutely gorgeous, love the combination of blackberries and chantilly cream.
Kate Glutenfreealchemist says
Mexico? How lovely! I'm very jealous!
The meringues look divinely gorgeous! I love adding fruit to meringues….. It always makes them such a pretty colour!
Maria says
Gorgeous photos and those meringues look absolutely delicious! Also, Cancun is always so much fun with family!
Lucy Parissi says
Thanks Maria. Cancun is fabulous but the 10 hour flight was a bit of a trial… for someone who hates flying as much as I do!
Angela Field says
I love these! The pinks and purples in these pictures are wonderful and I do love a meringue. Stunning as ever Lucy. Looking forward to your post-holiday updates. x
Lucy Parissi says
It's all systems go now that I am back… except I have a mountain of work to get through. I foresee lots of late nights….
Tieghan says
Stunning!! Just love the colors and textures! 🙂
Lucy Parissi says
Thanks Tieghan – they were very pretty and just as delicious.
Hannah Hossack-lodge says
The colours in these photos are so pretty! I love how you've colour coordinated everything! And I do like a bit of booze in my desserts… :p (and I am so incredibly jealous of your fantastic sounding holiday…it's been raining here loads…) x
Lucy Parissi says
It's funny – the first photos of these meringues looked really awful I had to change the set up completely to get these… Sometimes what's in my head doesn't translate into the photos.
Lynn | The Road to Honey says
You are so silly. I am having visions of you hugging your countertops. I'm looking forward to your photos and tales from Cancun. The crystal blue waters of Cancun are some of the most gorgeous around. I was completely mesmerized by it when I traveled there many moons ago.
Like the ocean, I too am mesmerized by this gorgeous blackberry meringue. It's such a beautiful dessert, perfect for the summertime (assuming summer decides to stay as it seems to be flirting with us in Boston).
Lucy Parissi says
I am such a homebody at heart!
The weather difference between Cancun and London has been so extreme that a stew would be a more appropriate post today. I have actually lit a fire tonight on June 1st! Let's enjoy summer however we can : )