• The Guests of Honor
  • 1/2 of a lemon
  • 4 extra large eggs
  • 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
  • 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 cup of granulated sugar
  • 2 cups frozen assorted berries
  • 1/2 cup Port wine
  • 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • Zest and juice of one orange
  • 1 cup fresh berries such as strawberries, blueberries and raspberries (strawberries should be sliced)

Meringue and berries are the perfect combination. A very elegant and light dessert, meringue is also very easy to make even for the novice cook. Unlike souffles, you basically can not go wrong if you simply follow the directions. The variety of deep flavors impressed our guests and my family is already asking when we can make this again and what else we can use the Port Wine and Berry Sauce with! Hmmm…French Toast anyone?

Interestingly enough, many meringue recipes are called Berries in a Cloud or a Cloud of Berries, but did you know that in Norway beautiful cloud berries are called ‘molter’ in Norwegian? These are little puffs of fruity-flesh grown wild in swamp areas and are similar to raspberries, with a sweet and sour tang and have absolutely nothing to do with this recipe besides the fact that I did think it would make a wonderful addition to my Port Wine Berry Sauce, but alas, I do not live in Northern Hemisphere, so there goes that idea! If I ever find myself in Scandinavia or Norway (hint hint honey), I will be sure to try this. Strawberries, blueberries and raspberries worked well!

Aren’t they cute? Okay, okay enough with the cloud berries…onto the meringue…

Here’s how I did it:

Let the party begin!

Cut one lemon in half and rub around your mixing bowl. Add eggs and cream tartar and whisk together rapidly until your egg whites begin to get very frothy. Continue mixing on medium high while you slowly add your vanilla and granulated sugar. Mix until stiff peaks form.

Preheat your oven to 200 degrees F. Place a piece of parchment paper on your baking stone or sheet. Place the meringue in a plastic or piping bag. If using a plastic bag, simply make a small cut in one corner of the bag. If using a piping bag, the star tip works nicely.

Begin piping your meringue into a circle about 5 inches in diameter. Continue piping until you have 8 “clouds.”

Bake for two hours in the oven.

In the meantime, you can begin making your Port Wine Berry Sauce:

In a saucepan over medium-high heat, simmer frozen berries, Port wine, balsamic vinegar, cinnamon stick and the zest and juice of one orange, stirring often until everything is reduced by half. Set aside until ready to use with your meringues or “clouds.”

Once you are ready to serve, spoon a little of your Port Wine Berry Sauce on the bottom of the plate and carefully roll the sauce around to cover the bottom of your plate. Place the meringue on top and garnish with some of the fresh berries and open wide!