Easy Cherry-Almond Meringue Dessert

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I love hollandaise sauce; it really amps up steamed broccoli.  It also elevates simple scrambled eggs to a gourmet breakfast.  (I know this is a strange introduction for a sweet dessert, just hang with me for another second.) The only “problem” with my hollandaise sauce is that it only uses egg yolks, not the whites. This leaves me with a small bowl of 3 egg whites with nowhere to go. I don’t believe in wasting food. I flatly refuse to waste it, which leaves me with a creative way to use these egg whites.  Hmmm, let’s consider the options.  I could make a homemade natural facial mask – in case you’re interested, there are all sorts of fun egg-white facials; google it.  I decided to let that option ride and opted instead to use the egg whites to make a meringue dessert.  Solid decision!

A meringue is always an excellent option for egg whites.  I could have made cookies, but I wanted to do something a little special.  Here’s how my brain works.  There are two holidays in February – Valentine’s Day and President’s Day. Valentine’s Day is all about hearts, and my favorite childhood President story was George Washington cutting down the cherry tree.  Therefore, it seemed very appropriate to make the meringue in the form of a big heart and fill it with cherries and add a little whipped cream.  Oh ya – now we’re talking!

To zhoosh up the flavor, I added a dash of almond extract to the meringue.  Then, I thought, why stop there?  I had some sliced almonds in the pantry, so I tossed them in an 8-inch skillet and lightly browned them.  After the meringue was whipped up in stiff peaks, I gently folded in the toasted almonds. So good!!!  If you don’t have almonds or don’t like almonds, no worries.  The meringue is delicious, just as it is.

Meringues look so fancy that it’s hard to believe how easy it is to make.  It’s important to use egg whites that are room temperature, not chilled. Letting them sit on the counter while you prep the other ingredients is about the right amount of time. The first thing I did was trace a heart shape on a piece of parchment paper. Although I chose to make a heart, a round shape will still be pretty. Regardless, you’ll want to bake your meringue on parchment paper or brown paper (my Mom always cut up a brown paper grocery bag).  Wax paper will NOT work.

Cherry pie filling is a great invention.  I always have a can in my pantry. Adding a half teaspoon of vanilla will give the filling a homemade taste.  Everything is better with whipped topping.  Hold off on adding the topping until you are ready to serve.  It’s never been easier to show your love, any day of the year, with this colorful, fruity, and heavenly sweet dessert. (Be sure to check out my Holiday Hollandaise Sauce so you have a use for 3 egg yolks!)

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