Rosewater and raspberry meringues

Add character to your meringues by roughly heaping each meringue onto the baking paper.

Meringues

4	Egg whites (Main)
1 cup	Caster sugar
½ cup	Freeze-dried raspberries (Main)
1 tsp	Rose water (Main)
6 drops	Red food colouring

Filling

1 cup	Cream
2 Tbsp	Icing sugar
1 cup	Fresh raspberries, or ½ cup freeze-dried raspberries (Main)

Directions

1. Beat the egg whites until soft peaks form. Add the caster sugar, a tablespoon at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat until stiff and shiny. Roughly crush the dried raspberries. Fold into the meringue with the rosewater and red colouring.
2. Line a baking tray with baking paper. Drop heaped tablespoons of the meringue onto the baking paper. Reduce the oven temperature to 110C. Bake for 1 hour. Turn the oven off and leave the meringues to stand in the oven overnight or until completely cold. Store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
3. Whip the cream and icing sugar together, until thick. Fold in a few fresh or freeze-dried raspberries.
4. Sandwich the meringues in pairs with the cream mixture. Pile on a serving plate.

More of Jan's make-ahead festive desserts

• Festive pumpkin pie
• Banoffee cheesecake