Chocolate Meringue Hearts with Strawberry Mousse

CHOCOLATE MERINGUE HEARTS WITH STRAWBERRY MOUSSE

What could be better than chocolate hearts made of dry meringue and a strawberry mousse center and garnished with a fresh whole strawberry in the center of each heart.

MERINGUES---Heat oven to 200 degrees.* Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Trace around 3 inch wide heart shaped cookie cutters on paper to form 8 hearts, invert paper.

Sift 1/4 cup confectioners sugar with 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, reserve. Beat 4 egg whites until frothy. Reduce speed, beat in 3/4 cup sugar until dissolved. Increase speed, beat until stiff peaks form. Sprinkle 1/3 cocoa mixture over meringue, fold in until combined. Fold in remaining cocoa mixture. Transfer to pastry bag fitted with large star tip. Pipe some meringue onto paper to fill in hearts. Pipe meringue rims along heart edges. Bake 1 hour, turn off oven, let stand in oven 6 hours or until completely dry.

MOUSSE---In blender, puree 16 oz container frozen sliced strawberries in syrup, thawed. In pot over low heat, combine 1/4 cup raspberry liqueur or water, 1 envelope unflavored gelatin, and 1/4 cup strawberry puree, heat until gelatin is dissolved. Add gelatin mixture to puree.

Fold in 1/3 of a 8 oz container whipping topping, thawed, until blended, fold in remaining whipped topping. Press plastic wrap against surface, refrigerate 6 hours. Transfer mousse to pastry bag fitted with large star tip. Pipe each heart with mousse. GARNISH WITH FRESH WHOLE STRAWBERRIES. Makes 8 servings.*

Contributed by :

 * World Recipes Y-Group