When I was a kid one of the best desserts that we ever got at school (yeah at school) was called a fruit whip.  I loved the stuff.

When I started collecting old cookbooks I found recipes that were similar.  Some were called fruit fluffs, and some were called fruit whips, but nothing was quite what I remembered.

Is it ever?

The other day I found that I had a plethora of egg whites and decided to attempt the elusive fruit whip of my childhood.

Well, I have to tell you that I was not successful.  This was nothing like what I remembered.  It was better.

Light and mousse like, this was fresh and sweet and creamy and light all at the same time.  I could think of a ton of ways to serve it including in meringue shells or a shortbread crumb crust.

You can vary the flavor by using different fruits as well.  Serving it after chilling for 30 minutes results in a smooth, mousse while freezing it overnight results in something amazing.

This would be perfect for a spring dessert but don’t wait until spring. 

Boysenberry Whip

6 egg whites

pinch of salt

1/2 cup sugar divided

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup boysenberry jam, or fruit puree

1 tablespoon lavender or violet syrup (optional)

Whip the egg whites and salt until frothy.  Continue beating while slowly adding 1/4 cup sugar.  Beat until glossy, stiff peaks form.  Set aside

Whip the heavy cream, add the sugar slowly and beat until thick and soft peaks form.

Warm the jam until it is liquid.  Fold it and the lavender syrup into the egg whites.  Fold in the  heavy cream until mixed thoroughly.  Be careful not to deflate.

Chill for at least an hour, or freeze overnight.  Serve with grated chocolate if desired.

Makes about 6 servings.

image:marye audet (c) 2009

Post from: Baking Delights

Last week I had an interview with Brad Halpern, of Eggology. I was writing the interview for LovetoKnow Organics. It is a fascinating (if I do say so myself) interview and you should read it.

BUT…as we were chatting, and I promise you we did CHAT, we got on the subject of cooking and baking, and of course Baking Delights. Brad offered to send me some samples of the product and I gladly accepted. I mean, can you really ever have too many egg whites? I think not.

The company is comitted to healthy, ethically treated animals. They have their own certification system for farms and the eggs are both certified organic and certified humane…that is an awesome commitment for a large company in this day and age..and I was impressed. No green- washing here.

So..I got the egg whites and sure enough..they were obviously egg whites. Lots of them. They whipped up into fluffy meringue…they glazed the sesame braid, they created a lovely face mask…

I compared them to the whites from our own free range hens and there was virtually no difference in taste or quality.

Now I am really impressed.

Best of all they are totally safe. Eggology checks their eggs for bacteria EVERY SINGLE DAY. So , if you have a yen to be like Rocky and suck down some raw egg whites you can do that too.

Daring Bakers, this product is definitely going to save us some time! It is available at Wholefoods, Safeway, and other stores, or through their site.

Personally, I would recommend lemon meringue pie.

Image:Marye Audet

Post from: Baking Delights