Strawberry meringues with strawberry & rose water mousse

6 egg whites, at room temperature
300g caster sugar
2 teaspoons Fresh As StrawberryPowder*
1 teaspoon white vinegar
icing sugar to dust

Preheat the oven to 120°C fan bake and line 2 baking trays with baking paper.

In a scrupulously clean stainless steel bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt until stiff peaks form. Continue to beat while slowly adding the sugar, 50g-100g at a time, beating until thick and glossy. Rub a little mix between your fingertips to make sure all the sugar has dissolved.

Sprinkle the strawberry powder and vinegar over the meringue then gently fold in. Spoon the meringue into a piping bag with a star-shaped nozzle attachment.

Pipe small spirals, about 3 layers high, on to the prepared baking trays – you should get about 40. Finish the end of each spiral with a sharp pull off, so as to form a neat tip on each meringue.

Dust with sieved icing sugar then bake for 1 hour. Turn off the oven then allow the meringues to cool completely with the door closed.

Strawberry & rose water mousse
2 teaspoons Fresh As StrawberryPowder
2 teaspoons rose water or 1 teaspoonpure rose essence
250ml thickened cream
250g strawberries, hulled, cut into small dice
100g caster sugar
10g powdered gelatine
2 egg whites

Dissolve the strawberry powder in the rose water then add to the cream and beat until stiff peaks form. Reserve.

Put the diced strawberries and sugar in a saucepan with 1 tablespoon water. Cook over medium heat for 7-10 minutes or until thick and sticky. Remove from the heat and sprinkle the gelatine over the strawberry mixture then stir quickly to dissolve the granules.

Beat the egg whites to soft peaks. Fold the strawberry mix through the cream mixture then fold in the egg whites. Taste and add a little more rose water if necessary then transfer to a shallow dish and refrigerate for 2-3 hours or until set.

When ready to serve, pipe a little rose water mousse on to the base of half the meringues then sandwich together with the remaining meringues. Dust liberally with icing sugar if desired then serve.

* Fresh As Strawberry Powder is available from specialty food stores or online at fresh-as.com