cherry hearts for christmas

(1 rating)
Recipe by
Angela Nair
Johannesburg

I was asked to make a dessert for a centrepiece. This frosty meringue dessert is beautiful and can become part of the Red, White and Green Christmas decorations! It is also perfect for a romantic Valentines Day dessert. You can bake the Meringue shell or buy one if its easier. Smaller heart shaped Meringue shells can be used for individual desserts - place them on a cakestand as a decorative centrepiece.

(1 rating)
yield 8
prep time 1 Hr
cook time 1 Hr 30 Min

Ingredients For cherry hearts for christmas

  • meringue
  • 1/4 tsp
    cream of tartar
  • 3/4 c
    sugar
  • 3
    egg whites
  • filling
  • 1 pkg
    about 3-4 ozs. cream cheese, softened
  • 1/2 c
    sugar
  • 1/2 tsp
    vanilla extract
  • 1 c
    chilled whipping cream
  • 1 c
    miniature marshmallows
  • 1 1/2 lb
    cherries stoned, or strawberries or mixed berries
  • 1/2 c
    sugar
  • 1 Tbsp
    cornstarch
  • fresh whole berries to decorate platter

How To Make cherry hearts for christmas

  • 1
    MERINGUE: Heat oven to 275 deg F. Cover baking sheet with heavy baking or brown paper. Beat egg whites and cream of tartar until foamy. Beat in the sugar, about a tablespoon at a time, continue beating until stiff and glossy - do not underbeat.
  • 2
    On baking paper, shape mereingue into a 9 inch heart (or a circle, you can make a template first), making sure you build up the sides.
  • 3
    Bake for 1 1/2 hours. Turn off oven, leave meringue in oven with door closed for at least 1 hour. Remove from oven and allow to cool.
  • 4
    FILLING: Blend sugar with cornstarch in medium saucepan. Stir in berries of your choice and lemonjuice. Cook slowly until sugar dissolves. Stir gently so as not to break the fruit. The whole fruit looks gorgeous on the meringue and cream base.
  • 5
    Gently fold whipped cream and the marshmallows into the softened cream cheese. Pile into meringue shell. Chill for a few hours. Just before serving, pile filling onto meringue. Dust with icing sugar and cut into wedges. Place fresh fruit around platter to serve with meringue.

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