Vanilla Heart-Shaped Meringues filled with Cranberries

Vanilla Meringues:

• 4 egg whites
• 1 pinch salt
• 1½ cup caster sugar
• ½ teaspoon vanilla essence
• Icing sugar for dusting

Cranberry Filling

• 2 cups frozen cranberries
• 1 cup caster sugar
• 1 Orange, grated rind and juice
• 2 tablespoons Grand Mariner
• 1 1/4 cups cream, whipped or non dairy whipping cream like Rich's whip
• ½ teaspoon vanilla essence

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Line 2 heavy baking trays with baking paper and draw 6 small heart shapes on each tray (12 in total).
2. Whip egg whites with salt until stiff but not dry. Add caster sugar 1 tablespoon at a time beating until mixture is glossy before adding the next tablespoon of sugar. Continue beating until mixture is very thick and glossy.
3. Stir through vanilla essence.
4. Using a spoon or piping bag shape meringue mixture into heart shapes on prepared trays.
5. Place tray in preheated oven, reduce heat to 160°C and bake for 1-1 ¼ hour or until firm and dry.
6. Cool. Store in an air-tight container until ready to use.

1. Place cranberries, caster sugar, orange rind and juice in a small saucepan. Heat gently until sugar dissolves and berries just start to release some colour.
2. Add Grand Marnier and cool.

1. Whip cream with vanilla until firm.
2. Place a heart-shaped meringue onto each serving plate, top with whipped cream and spoon over a tablespoon of the berries.
3. Top each with a second meringue heart. Dust with icing sugar and drizzle a little of the juice around the edge of the plate.