Berries On a Cloud
If you have a berry patch in your yard (and haven't treated it with
pesticides), garnish each serving with tiny berry leaves and blooms.
Otherwise, fresh mint is a handy substitute.
1 recipe White Chocolate Meringue Shells (see below)
3/4 of an 8-ounce package (6 ounces) reduced-fat cream
cheese (Neufchatel), softened
1/2 cup light dairy sour cream
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 of an 8-ounce container frozen reduced-fat whipped
topping, thawed
1 ounce semisweet chocolate, cut up
1/2 teaspoon shortening
3 to 4 cups hulled small strawberries
1/4 cup strawberry jelly
1 to 2 teaspoons water
Prepare and bake White Chocolate Meringue Shells. In a mixing bowl beat
together the cream cheese, sour cream, sugar, and vanilla till smooth. Fold in
thawed whipped topping. Spread evenly in the meringue shells. Cover and chill
about 1 hour.
In a small heavy saucepan melt the semisweet chocolate with shortening; cool.
Drizzle over tops and sides of filled shells. Arrange berries, hulled end down,
over cream cheese filling. In a small saucepan heat the jelly just till melted. Add
1 to 2 teaspoons water to thin. Drizzle over the arranged berries. Makes 8
servings.
White Chocolate Meringue Shells
Let 3 large egg whites stand in a large mixing bowl for 30 minutes. Cover a
baking sheet with clean plain brown paper or foil; draw eight 3-inch circles.
Add 1/2 teaspoon vanilla and 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar to egg whites.
Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed till soft peaks form (tips curl).
Add 1 cup sugar, a tablespoon at a time, beating on high speed till very stiff
peaks form (tips and straight) and sugar is almost dissolved. Fold in 1 ounce of grated white chocolate baking square (about 6 tablespoons). Spread or
pipe meringue over circles on paper and shape into shells. Bake in a 300° F.
oven for 30 minutes. Turn oven off; let meringues dry in oven with door closed
for at least 1 hour (do not open door). Peel off paper. Store in an airtight
container. Makes 8.
Make-Ahead Tip: Up to 24 hours ahead, bake meringue shells. Store in an
airtight container.
Nutrition facts per serving: 288 calories, 9 g total fat (4 g saturated fat),
19 mg cholesterol, 134 mg sodium, 48 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 5 g
protein. Daily Values: 10% vitamin A, 53% vitamin C, 4% calcium, 3%
iron.