Strawberry, lemon and elderflower meringue

Method

1. Heat the oven to 120°C/100°C fan/gas 1. To make the meringue, put the egg whites in a large, clean bowl and whisk with an electric mixer until they form soft peaks (when you lift the beaters out, the peaks flop over). With the mixer running, add large spoonfuls of the sugar, one at a time, beating between each addition, until all the 200g sugar is incorporated. Whisk for a further 6-8 minutes until thick, pale, smooth and glossy.
2. Lightly grease a sheet of baking paper and lay it on the baking sheet. Spoon the meringue onto the paper to form a large disc about 25cm wide with slightly peaked edges – it doesn’t have to be perfect. Bake the meringue for 25-30 minutes, then reduce the heat to 110°C/90°C fan/ gas ½ and bake for 2 hours more until the meringue has formed a crisp shell. Remove from the oven and allow to cool (see Make Ahead).
3. When ready to serve, pour the cream into a large bowl. Add half the lemon zest and juice and 2 tbsp of the cordial. Whisk until the cream is thick enough to hold soft peaks.
4. Put the strawberries in a bowl with the remaining lemon juice and cordial. Gently turn them to coat. Spoon the cream onto the meringue, top with the strawberries and sprinkle with the sugar, the remaining lemon zest and some elderflower blossoms, if you like.