Rosewater Cream Dessert Meringues

Crisp meringues filled with billowing folds of freshly whipped double cream flavoured with rosewater.
Use as a dessert or for a decadent afternoon tea. Meringues can be made in advance and kept in an airtight container for up to two to three weeks.
For a pretty decoration scatter with rose petals, unsprayed rose petals are edible.

Makes 24

Method
Whisk the egg whites until stiff, and then gradually whisk in the sugar, a teaspoon at a time. Pipe 24 meringue nests onto a piece of Bake-O-Glide placed on the cold plain shelf.

AGA Cooking
in the Simmering Oven to dry out, for about 2 hours. Turn the plain shelf after an hour. If the meringues are coloured to your liking but not quite cooked, take them out of the oven and place on a Chef’s Pad on the closed lid of the Simmering Plate for 2 or 3 hours to continue to dry out. Place the meringues in the centre on the Warming Oven and leave to dry out for about 2 ½ - 3 hours, turn the plain shelf after about 1 ½ hours. To serve, whip the double cream with two teaspoons of the rosewater until it just holds its shape, taste and add a little more rosewater if you like. Place a dollop of the cream into each meringue cavity and place on a serving plate.

Conventional cooking
Dry out the meringues at 120ºC (250ºF) fan oven 100ºC, Gas Mark 1 for 1½-2 hours. Turn off the oven, leave the door ajar and leave the meringues until cold.

Notes
Decorate with a mint leaf and sprinkle with rose petals.