Makes around 30 bite-sized meringues

Ingredients:

• 2 tsp French Earl Grey tea
• 15g freeze-dried strawberries
• 2 large egg whites
• Pinch of fine sea salt
• 55g caster sugar
• 80g icing sugar
• ½ tsp vanilla bean paste
• 100g ruby chocolate, melted, to decorate (optional)
• Dried edible cornflower petals, to decorate (optional)

Method:

Preheat oven to 120°C (fan-forced) and line two baking trays with baking paper. Place French Earl Grey tea and freeze-dried strawberries in a small spice grinder or mortar and pestle and grind until fine. Set aside.

Whisk egg whites and salt in a stand mixer on medium speed until soft peaks form. Add caster sugar one tablespoon at a time, whisking well between additions. Add icing sugar in the same way, one tablespoon at a time. Once all sugar is incorporated, continue whisking until thick and glossy with firm peaks. Gently fold through vanilla bean paste, then the ground tea and strawberry mixture.

Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a 1.5–2cm star nozzle. Pipe bite-sized meringues onto prepared trays leaving a little space between each.

Place trays in the oven and immediately lower the temperature to 80°C. Bake for 1 hour or until crisp on the outside and lifting off the paper easily. Turn the oven off and cool meringues in the oven with the door slightly ajar.

Serve plain, dipped in melted chocolate, or sandwiched together and sprinkled with edible flowers. Store in an airtight container for up to a week.