Thyme-infused Berry Eton Mess

Ingredients

• 2 large egg whites, at room temperature
• Pinch of cream of tartar
• 80 ml castor sugar
• A few drops of pink food colouring, optional

To serve

• 125 ml cream, whipped
• 45 ml icing sugar
• 125 g cream cheese
• 5 ml fresh thyme sprigs
• Berry coulis, store bought / ready-made (click here for the homemade recipe)
• 100 g fresh raspberries

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 120°C and lightly grease a baking tray with cooking spray or oil. Place parchment paper on the tray.
2. With a hand or stand-alone automated mixer, beat the egg whites until frothy for about one minute. Add the cream of tartar, beating until soft peaks form, about 5 − 7minutes.
3. Add the castor sugar about two tablespoons at a time, beating well after each addition, until all the sugar has been incorporated, and the mixture is thick and glossy with firm, white peaks. This will take about 8 minutes.
4. Gently stir in a drop or two of the food colouring to only half of the meringue. This creates a marbling effect or ‘strokes’ of pink.
5. Transfer half the meringue into a piping bag with a star nozzle. Pipe onto the prepared tray. Place dollops of the other half of the mixture on the piped meringue using a spoon.
6. Bake both sets of meringue for 1 hour 20 minutes until crispy on the outside, but still slightly soft on the inside. Remove from the oven and cool completely.
7. To make the filling: In a mixing bowl, whip the cream until soft peak stage. In another bowl, place the cream cheese with the icing sugar and a few thyme sprigs. Whisk until combined. Gently fold in the cream.
8. To serve: Place a couple of meringues in a glass, followed by the thyme-infused filling, spoonfuls of berry coulis and the berries. Repeat until the glass is almost full.