serves six
3 egg whites (from eggs ideally about a week old)
small squeeze lemon juice
3/4 cup castor sugar plus 14 cup
2 stalks rhubarb, washed, trimmed, and cut into 12-inch pieces
1/3 cup water
2 cups strawberries, washed, stemmed, sliced in half
powdered sugar, to dust and macerate strawberries
1 cup mascarpone cheese
2/3 cup crème fraîche
1/3 cup sour cream
1 vanilla bean, freshly scraped (can use 1 tablespoon liquid vanilla)
1/2 cup heavy cream
1-2 tablespoons powdered sugar, to sweeten (optional)
A vacherin is a shallow basket or meringue filled with a flavored whipped cream and fresh fruits, such as strawberries. The bases can easily be made a day or two ahead and kept in an airtight container. We like to bake these in a very low-temperature oven so the meringue merely dries out and remains brilliant white. Turn your oven to a “keep warm” setting to bake them, and prop the door open slightly with a wooden spoon to keep an eye on the progress. If your vacherins bake to a pale cream color before they crisp, don’t despair—they’ll still taste great.
Turn oven to lowest setting. Line two baking sheets with baking parchment or a silicone cooking liner. Draw 6 circles, 4 inches in diameter, on the paper.
Whisk or beat the egg whites with the lemon juice in a large bowl until they form firm peaks, about 6 to 10 minutes—do not over-whisk or they will become dry and grainy. Gradually whisk in 34 cup of the sugar, a tablespoonful at a time until the egg whites are glossy and smooth. Congratulations— you just made meringue.
Spoon the meringue into a piping bag fitter with a half-inch-wide plain nozzle. Pipe in concentric rounds to fill each drawn circle or, though not as beautiful, you can simply spoon a “glop” on the paper. Make a small indentation with a wet spoon in the middle of each circle to hold the fruit. Bake for at least 2 hours (with the heat of a pilot light only, it will take up to 8 hours. The exact time will depend on the temperature, but it is easy to tell when the baskets are cooked.)
Lift one with a spatula: If it comes away cleanly, feels crisp on the outside, and slightly soft inside, the baskets are ready. Leave on the baking sheet for 10 minutes, then carefully peel the meringue baskets off the paper and transfer to a wire rack to cool.
In a small saucepan, add the rhubarb and 14 cup of castor sugar and 13 cup water. Heat slowly and cook for 10 to 15 minutes until the rhubarb is cooked and has melted. Add more sugar if necessary and set aside to cool. If desired, sprinkle the strawberries with powdered sugar to “macerate,” a form of marinating. When the rhubarb is cooled, gently fold into the macerated strawberries.
Meanwhile, make the vanilla cream. Beat the mascarpone with the crème fraîche, sour cream, and vanilla bean scrapings (or liquid). Whip the heavy cream until it is softly stiff, then fold into the cream mixture. Season the completed vanilla cream mixture with a little powdered sugar if desired.
When ready to serve, spoon the vanilla cream into the meringue baskets and top with the sweetened strawberries. Pour over some of the leftover strawberry and rhubarb juices. A light dusting of powdered sugar adds a professional touch.
