Individual AMBROSIA MERINGUES Dessert

Individual AMBROSIA MERINGUES Dessert

Table of Contents: DESSERTS

Meringues need to be made at least one day in advance.  Make them at night for them to stay overnight in the oven.

Ingredients for meringues:
4 egg whites, must be at room temperature
1 1/3 cups granulated sugar
¼ tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Ingredients for Ambrosia:
4 large navel oranges
6 T. confectioners’ sugar
3 T. fresh orange juice (not concentrated or w/ calcium)
1 ½ cups grated fresh or frozen coconut

1/2 cup chopped pecans

To Make Meringues:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Heavily spray-grease two large baking pans & set aside.  In an electric mixer, beat room temperature egg whites until firm soft-peaks form; then gradually add sugar, salt, & vanilla.  Beat until stiff-peaks form.

Drop the meringue mixture by the spoons full onto the baking pans.  “Attempt” to give enough spreading room to keep meringues from touching.  (They are prettier when they don’t touch, but taste just as good if they do touch.).  Using the bottom-side of a large soup-spoon, gently press a shallow “well” into the center of the meringue mixture. The “well” will hold some of the ambrosia after the meringues are cooked.

Place the baking pans into the preheated oven; then immediately turn off the oven heat.  Do not open door of oven until removing the pans of the meringues in the morning.  Immediately store the meringues in an airtight container; moisture is not a friend!

To Make Ambrosia:
Peel the oranges, remove the bitter outside membrane, and section the oranges.  Break sections into halves.  In a glass bowl, stir together the sugar and orange juice; then add the orange section halves and toss to coat them.  Stir in the coconut and pecans until all ingredients are blended. Ambrosia must be kept refrigerated.

When serving this dessert, place the meringues alone on the dessert plates.  Serve the ambrosia in a bowl with a serving spoon.  Guests should top their individual meringues with the ambrosia to keep the meringues crisp as long as possible.