Ingredients
3 egg whites
150g castor sugar
2tsps cornflour
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Method
Heat oven to 130C
Whisk the egg whites until they are stiff enough to stay put when you turn the bowl upside down then add the sugar one spoonful at a time, whisking for a few moments between each addition. Finally whisk in the cornflour and vanilla extract and mix until well combined. The mixture should be smooth and glossy.
You can use this basic mix to make shells to sandwich together or nests to fill with cream and fruit. Whichever you choose, put tray(s) into oven and turn heat down to 110C. Allow to dry out for 2 hours then switch oven off and leave meringues in the closed oven until quite cold. Will keep for at least a week in a tin, decorate just before you use them.
Nests - mark circles about 9cm in diameter onto the back of a sheet of baking paper. Anchor the sheet to a baking tray using four small blobs of meringue. Use two spoons to distribute the egg white among the circles making a dip in the centre of each one.
Shells - anchor sheet(s) of baking paper using four small blobs of meringue then space spoonfuls if meringue mix on to paper.
Best done with an electric mixer but by hand will work too if you have the muscle for it