Individual brown sugar meringues with praline cream

Ingredients (serves 6)
* 2 egg whites
* 1/2 cup brown sugar
* 1/2 tsp white vinegar
Praline cream
* 100g blanched almonds, toasted
* 3/4 cup caster sugar
* 1/2 cup water
* 200g ricotta cheese
* 1/2 cup pure icing sugar, sifted
* 3/4 cup thickened cream


Method
1. Preheat oven to 120°C. Cover two oven trays with baking paper and mark with 8cm circles.
2. For meringues, use an electric mixer to beat egg whites to soft peaks. Add 1/4 cup of brown sugar and beat until dissolved. Add rest of sugar and beat until smooth. Gently fold in vinegar and spread to fill the circles. Allow room for spreading.
3. Bake for 1 1/4 - 1 1/2 hours until dry and cooked through. Turn oven off and cool with door ajar. When cool transfer to an airtight container.
4.
Praline cream
5. Spread almonds onto a non-stick baking tray. Combine the caster sugar and water in a small pan and stir over low heat until sugar dissolves. Increase the heat and boil without stirring until deep golden in colour. Pour over the nuts and allow to set.
6. Break praline into pieces, reserving some for decoration and process the rest in a food processor until fine. Transfer to a bowl.
7. Process the ricotta and icing sugar until smooth, then slowly add cream. Add to praline and mix to combine. Top meringues with praline cream and reserved praline.

Source
Fresh Living - Page 49
Recipe by Robyn Russell