Daniel Clifford's Meringues With Strawberries

Makes 24

Ingredients

8 egg whites 
300ml (1/2 pint) water
475g (1lb 1oz) caster sugar
1 lemon
150g (51/2oz) strawberries
100ml (31/2fl oz) double cream

Method

Whip the egg whites until they form soft peaks. Cook 150ml (1/4 pint) of the water and 400g (14oz) of the sugar until it reaches 120°C/300°F degrees, then mix into the egg whites. Shape into 24 small nests and bake at 100°C/200°F/Gas Mark  1/4 for 1 hour and leave to cool. Make a stock syrup by boiling 150ml ( 1/4 pint) of water with 75g (23/4oz) of the sugar and a strip of lemon zest for five minutes, then leave to cool. Blend 50ml (2fl oz) of the stock syrup with 100g (31/2oz) of the strawberries to make a coulis. Add a splash of lemon juice. To finish off the meringues, place a big teaspoon of double cream in their centre, slice the remaining strawberries and place three on each meringue, then drizzle over the coulis.