Floating Hearts

Ingredients

• 2 egg whites
• 40g caster sugar
• 1 vanilla pod, split with seeds scraped out
• 2 drops of red food colouring
• 450ml semi-skimmed milk
• 1 tbsp custard powder
• 1 tbsp caster sugar
• heart shaped cutter

Cooking Instructions

1. Whisk the egg whites in a clean bowl with an electric whisk until stiff then continue whisking adding the sugar 1 dessertspoon at a time allowing 10 seconds between each addition. Fold in the seeds from the vanilla pod and food colouring.
2. Lightly grease the heart shaped cutter and place on a piece of parchment paper slightly bigger than the cutter. Place half the mixture into the cutter and place in a non-stick pan – pour in 150ml semi-skimmed milk and poach gently for 10 minutes.
3. Remove and place on a baking tray, repeat with the remaining mixture and when cooked place on the baking tray.
4. Mix the custard powder with a little of the milk , then heat the remaining milk in a small saucepan with the vanilla pod to near boiling. Pour onto the custard powder whisking to avoid lumps forming.
5. Heat through still whisking adding more milk to give a cream consistency. Sweeten to taste then pour into 2 serving bowls – place a meringue on top of each and serve.

Tips

This is a low-fat version of a typical light French dessert.