Meringue with Strawberry and Rhubarb Sauce

Eat dessert first. No, really do it. Be a rebel. I give you permission – not that you need it.

This last Saturday I cooked a dinner. A really big dinner. Three girls, eight dishes, hours of laughs and wine.

Of the two desserts I made I wanted to show off my favorite first – Meringue with strawberries and rhubarb. {drool}

It was surprsingly easy if you can handle whipping egg whites into oblivion, baking them low and very very slow and then pureeing some strawberries and roasting a few pieces of rhubarb. It’s impressive AND easy – so a win win.

Don’t let the multiple steps of this recipe deter you. It’s more than worth it.

I triple dog dare you to make this for someone special. This actually might be a recipe that will get you a proposal…Do you hear that guys? (Are there any guys that read this blog?) Make this and proposal to your girlfriend – she’ll HAVE to say YES. Ladies, would you say “yes” to a man that proposed to you over one of these? That’s what I thought. WIN-WIN!

In a stand mixer beat four egg whites furiously and slowly add in 2/3 cup white sugar. I use baker’s sugar, of a finer grain so that it  dissolves quicker. No risk of grit. Um, eww? Beat on medium high with a whisk attachment until stiff peaks form. Just before it’s done, add in 1/8th teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon lemon juice.

On a baking sheet lined with parchment paper (not waxed like my ditzy ass used that left Sharpie circles on the bottom of my pan…effin’ brilliant) with 8 3-inch circles outlined on the sheet. Make your circles, flip the paper and dollop your whipped egg on the opposite side. The last thing you need is Sharpie baked into your egg whites…a proposal with Sharpie laden meringues would not set the “mood”. Only you can prevent Sharpie transfer.

Make small nesting divots into the middle of each meringue and bake at 200 for 2-3 hours. Yes. 200. Like I said, very low and very slow.

When they’re dry to the touch, turn off the oven and crack open so they can cool. Remove them from the parchment very gently and allow to finish cooling on a wire rack.

Reheat your oven to 375 and slice four stalks of rhubarb crosswise. Toss with 3 tablespoons of sugar and a 1/4 teaspoon corn starch. Bake for 20 minutes until they are soft.

While the roasting continues, prep your strawberries by trimming and hulling them.

Toss into a food processor with dash of sugar and a teaspoon of lemon juice and FRAPPE!

Pour the red goo through a fine sieve, and mix with the roasted rhubarb. Chill until you’re ready to use. See? Not so bad. I told ya!

When you’re ready to serve, plate each meringue and top with sauce. The sweet strawberries with the tangy rhubarb and the melt in your mouth meringue will get you a Case of the Marrieds asap. Or if you’re already hitched it will make your hunny forget and do it all over again!

Do it for the one you love. Because they love you, too.

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