fruit cloud - a quintessential summer dessert

oh, this dessert is something else. my mom made it this weekend, when we were there visiting. it was gone quite quickly. when we got home, both ed and lillie requested it...lillie made it yesterday (with my help) and we chilled it until alice came today. then we sliced it, plated it, spooned the berries on top, and devoured it. oh, yum. perfect for a snack before swimming (30 minutes, i set the timer). you can make this with all sorts of fruit in season - i can see it with peaches and mint, or blueberries and strawberries...well, the list is endless. this is just a base for your seasonal fruit! in the winter, you could whip out some trader joe's morello cherries and thicken it a bit. oh, yum. we adapted it from a betty crocker cookbook, i think. here goes:

there are three layers - a meringue, a filling, and the fruit. it must chill for 12 hours (or more), so make it the day before you want to serve it. if you have a crowd, make several. it is very easy to make - lillie did almost all of the work (well, except cleanup, alas).

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meringue:

6 large egg whites
1/2 t cream of tartar
1/4 t salt (i use sea salt)
1.5 c sugar

heat oven to 275. butter a 9x13 cake pan.

beat egg whites, cream of tartar, and salt on high until they are foamy. add in the sugar, a little bit at a time. continue beating until stiff and glossy. do NOT underbeat! spread in pan - make sure that you work it up a little bit on the edges, so that it looks like a deep dish pizza. the meringue will rise, so work it up about halfway to the top, around the edges. bake for 1.5 hours. turn off oven and leave it in there for 2 hours more.

filling:
2 c heavy whipping cream
6 oz cream cheese (i used neufchatel), room temp
1/2 c sugar
1 T vanilla
freshly grated orange rind, from one orange (or lemon would be good, too)
2 c mini marshmallows

beat whipping cream on high until you have soft peaks.

in a separate bowl, mix cream cheese, sugar, vanilla, orange peel. gently fold into whipped cream, along with the marshmallows. spread atop the meringue - pushing it down into the folds and swirls, so that it fills it. cover and refrigerate 12 hours or more.

berries:
this week, we're using fresh strawberries, chopped up, and some lingonberry jam. i love lingonberries, and they mix well with strawberries. you could use any fruit you want. it will all taste good!

to serve:

cut rather large pieces of the fruit cloud dessert, artfully top with the berries. this would be particularly lovely with a glass of champagne, if you're celebrating something. well, life is for celebrating - enjoy! we cut it into 8 pieces - even lillie can pull her own with these generous servings. the corners are the coveted pieces, because they have extra meringue. it is even better the 2nd day, if there is any left. enjoy!

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