Meringues Chantilly

Ingredients:

• 6 extra-large egg whites, at room temperature
• ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
• Kosher salt
• 1 ½ cups granulated sugar, divided
• ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• whipped cream
• 3 pints assorted berries
• Raspberry Sauce (see below) 

 Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees.  Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.  Using a small glass and a pencil, draw six 3 ½ -inch circles on each piece of paper.  Turn the paper facedown on the baking sheets.  
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites, cream of tartar, and a large pinch of salt on medium speed until frothy.  Add 1 cup of the sugar and raise the speed to high until the egg whites form very stiff peaks.  Whisk in the vanilla.  Carefully and gradually fold the remaining ½ cup of sugar into the meringue.  With a large star-shaped pastry tip, pipe a disc of meringue inside each circle.  Pipe another layer around the edge to form the sides of the shells.  
3. Bake for 2 hours, or until the meringues are dry and crisp but not browned.  Turn off the heat and allow the meringues to sit in the oven for 4 hours or overnight.  
4. For serving, fill each shell with whipped cream, top with berries, and serve on a puddle of raspberry sauce.

Raspberry Sauce 

Ingredients:

• 1 half-pint fresh raspberries
• ½ cup sugar
• 1 cup (12 ounces) seedless raspberry jam
• 1 tablespoon framboise liqueur 

Directions:

1. Place the raspberries, sugar, and ¼ cup water in a small saucepan.  Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer for 4 minutes.  
2. Pour the cooked raspberries, the jam, and framboise into the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade and process until smooth.

*recipe from Ina Garten's Barefoot in Paris cookbook