A cross between a (meringue) cupcake and a souffle....

I LOVE pretty cupcake cases - and have loads of different designs.... But I find, every time a cupcake is being baked in a pretty case...the case usually looses it's colour, goes all transparent or just doesn't look at all how it started off ....So annyoying! When I was playing with meringues the other day, I thought to myself: I wonder if I could bake a meringue in a cupcake case....

Well, it worked - yes, it needs improvement - is looking a little messy, but all over all I was pleased with the result. The fact that I had forgotten about the meringue 'cups' cooling in the oven by the next morning...did not help, I guess - they got a bit of a second blast when I was pre-heating the oven for the morning pain au chocolat.... :0 (well, it was EARLY!) - but they were still nice, crispy-ish on the top and nice an gooey on the inside - I had mixed tiny pieces of fresh strawberry under the mixture -VERY nice!

Love

Nicolax

Still in the Lavender & Lilac mood....

The other thing I brought back from the Lavender Fields was a small bottle of Lavender Syrup. On the lable it says:

Use to liven up salads, drizzle over yoghurt or even ice cream. Flavour a brulée or meringue or even use as a glaze. What about a bowl of sliced strawberries with a little chopped mint with lavender syrup....

Doesn't that all sound just SO good? Well, I had some egg-whites left over and thougth, I'd try some Lavender meringues - I LOVE making meringues - the glossiness of the mixture and the fact that piping with meringue is so easy - no shaking hands when trying to squeeze it out etc. - so nice to play with as far as piping is concerned . And did they not come out pretty? They taste good too, with just a flowery hint of lavender....I find them almost too pretty to eat and I have a feeling that they might be sitting in my new/old jar for a while....

Have a lovely weekend!!!

Love

Nicolax