Cups with fruit and meringues

MERINGUE PROCEDURE

• 1
  Prepare the meringues the afternoon or evening before serving and let them rest in the turned-off oven, even until morning.
• 2
  Mix all ingredients in a metal bowl and place the bowl over a bain-marie (making sure it doesn't touch the water). While constantly whisking gently with a hand whisk, heat on a low setting until the sugar dissolves in the liquid (test between your fingers). Then remove from the steam to a stand mixer bowl and start whisking at a lower speed (speed 2 out of 6). Gradually increase the whisking speed after a few minutes, and after another few minutes, increase to maximum and whisk for several more minutes. The meringue will be beautifully white, glossy, without bubbles, and will form soft but stable peaks, and it will no longer be warm. If it's still warm, it must cool down before piping.
• 3
  Pipe with the chosen nozzle onto baking paper on a prepared baking sheet, at a distance of at least 2-3 cm from each other.
• 4
  Bake in a convection oven (if you have the gentler one, use it) at 90 degrees, even two trays at once, for 2 hours and 15 minutes (if piping larger meringues – e.g., rosettes – bake for 2.5 hours). Do not open the oven and leave the meringues in the turned-off oven for at least another hour.

CHERRY JELLY PROCEDURE

• 1
  Soak the gelatin sheet in cold water and let it soften within a few minutes. Meanwhile, heat the cherries with sugar and a little juice in a saucepan, or add a little water (a few tablespoons) to fresh or frozen cherries. Bring to a boil (let frozen cherries thaw) and remove from heat. Stir the squeezed gelatin sheet into the warm cherries and mix until dissolved. Let cool in the refrigerator.

CREAM CHEESE AND CREAM FILLING PROCEDURE

• 1
  In a bowl, mix cream cheese, sour cream, and sugar. In another bowl, whip the whipping cream until stiff. Fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture with a spatula. Divide the cream into two halves. Fold lemon juice into one half with a spatula, and pre-torn or finely chopped strawberries into the other.

FINISHING THE CUPS

• 1
  Small fruit – strawberries, currants, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries – approx. 250 g Cookies (we used a mix of various cookies from Marks & Spencer) – approx. 250 g Crush the cookies coarsely. Layer cookies, cream, cherries, and fruit into the prepared glasses in various orders and decorate with fruit and meringues.