Lemon Meringue Heart

What better celebration of Valentine's than making your own "I love you" heart?    My beloved doesn't like chocolate, and adores lemon and meringue, so this was an experiment....      I made the meringue base a day or so early, adding home made lemon curd and whipped cream.   It is topped with very thin slices of pineapple, but strawberries would be equally good.   I photographed this as soon as I made it, but it tastes better if it is left to sit for about 3 hours or so, when everything become a little softer!

Pineapple, cream and lemon curd meringue heart

Lemon Meringue Valentine

Heart Base

3 egg whites
6oz caster sugar  

1 teaspoon vinegar
1 teaspoon cornflour
1 tsp vanilla (if wanted)

Oven - 150 deg C

Whisk the egg whites until stiff, adding the sugar a tablespoonful at a time.  Lastly, add the essence.    Line a large flat baking tray with silicone parchment.  Using a piping bag and 1/2" 1cm pipe, pipe the heart shape (starting with the outside and filling in) - see picture below.   Bake for about an hour, keeping an eye on it, and then turn off the oven and leave it to dry.     Peel off the paper and put it onto a wire rack.

Heart Centre

Home made lemon curd – see blog for recipe

Heart Top

Half a pint of double cream, whipped with 2 fl oz milk to lighten the texture

Final Top

Fresh fruit – I used pineapple, peeled, cored and sliced very thinly. 

And, Reader, he loved it!