Easy peasy meringue

Our friends Ben and Sarah visited today with their little girl Tilly. I wanted to make an easy, light dessert as it was so beautifully warm today (shock horror! A UK bank holiday without rain!) I decided on Eton Mess. The only problem was I hate shop bought meringue, I find it too crunchy and overly sweet, so it was time to bite the bullet and give homemade meringue a try. I've seen it made a million times on The Great British Bake Off so it couldn't be that hard... surely...

I found the most simple recipe I could find which involved whisking 4 egg whites until it forms stiff peaks, adding 115g caster sugar a teaspoon at a time, then slowly folding in 115g icing sugar. I have learnt through watching too many TV cookery programmes that the way to test if your meringue is stiff enough is to hold the bowl upside down over your head. So Eloise and I gave it a go. Success!

I spread the mixture onto a lined baking tray and popped it into a 100•c oven. It is supposed to be done when it looks a pale coffee colour. After 2 hours mine still looked pretty pale but I didn't want to risk meringue disaster my first time out so I turned off the oven and left it inside to cool.

It was perfect, crisp on the outside and chewy in the middle. I smashed it up and mixed with berries and whipped cream and served in sundae glasses with a fruit garnish.

In the pudding frenzy I forgot to photograph this momentus moment so you'll have to take my word for it... If challenged I can provide witnesses.