I’m going to be honest, I’m not really a summer fan. Specially considering that where I come from summer means temperatures over 30º C (sometimes more close to 40s) and a lot of humidity (and of course no beach or palm trees nearby). Since I arrived in Vancouver I started to like them more, because of endless sunny days, daylight until 9:30 pm, and a lot of outdoor activities to do. If I have to pick two food related things that I love from summers in Vancouver, that would be fruits and fruits. And maybe the third one would be fruits. Just kidding :P. I really love the fact that our province grows tons of summer fruits, because not only I am a crazy fan of them (you can ask my mother how much fruit I used to eat when I was a kid lol) but also because there is a large selection of dessert to make with them. And not even just desserts, you can make jams, preserves, compotes, and many other delicious goodies.
Around this area you can also go fruit picking and brings lots of pounds of fresh fruit to your home for very cheap prices. So if you leave nearby Vancouver or in a similar area somewhere else, there’s no excuse to make this fresh Apricot Ice Cream Nests! I can promise that they are really creamy and rich in flavour, and they have a bit of tanginess that pairs really well with the meringue nests. I also added some home made french almonds and preserved cherries (another fruit that you can easily get here in summer). This makes this dessert the perfect after dinner combination! (or why not after lunch on a really hot afternoon).
My ice-cream recipes are mostly inspired by David Lebovitz “The perfect Scoop” book which is a great source of ice cream recipes and ideas which I highly recommend having on your pastry bookshelf!
Wash and remove the pits of the apricots and cut them in six wedges each;
Place apricots and water in a saucepan (preferably non-reactive) and cook at medium heat until the apricots are tender (around 6-8 mins);
Remove from the heat and add sugar, stirring until it dissolves;
Cool at room temperature.
When the mixture has cooled down, use a blender or a food processor to make a smooth puree (it shouldn’t have any fibers, if there are some, the puree can be strained);
Stir in the cream, the lime juice and optionally the almond or vanilla extract;
Chill the mixture in the fridge.
Prepare your ice-cream machine at gelato or ice-cream setting (if available) and churn the ice-cream.
Notes
Almond extract is very strong and can take over the flavour of your ice-cream, use it wisely!
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (if you want the meringues very white you can use clear extract)
1/4 tsp salt
Instructions
Pre-heat the oven at 100ºC (200F). Also prepare a pan with some parchment paper or a silicone mat;
Using an electric stand mixer, whip the egg whites together with the salt, starting at low speed and slowly increasing the speed until medium. They should become a white foam;
Start increasing the speed and continue whipping until the egg whites begin to hold the shape. Then start adding the sugar slowly, while whipping at the same medium-high speed;
Once all the sugar is added, add the vanilla extract and continue whipping for around 2-4 mins, until the whites look glossy and form peaks.
Add the icing sugar (sifted) and fold it with a spatula. Be careful not to deflate the meringue!
With a spatula or spoon, divide the meringue into mounds in the previously prepared pan;
With a spoon dipped in water, hollow the center of the mounds to form a nest;
Bake the meringues for 40 min/1hr depending on the size, then turn off the oven and let them 1 hour more. Use the lowest rack as possible if you want to avoid the golden color.
When they feel dry they are done!
Notes
Meringue nests can be stored in a dark and dry place for about 1 week.
