A delightful summer dish. Top it with mini-meringues for the look and the crunch of it.

 Prep

1. Soup. At least 6 hours before eating, tip the water into a heavy based saucepan with the 150g caster sugar. Stir over medium heat until the sugar has dissolved. Add the rosemary, strip of lemon zest and the wine or perry. Increase the heat. Simmer for 3 minutes. Pour into a large bowl. Leave it to cool down then put it to chill in the fridge until needed.
2. Meringue. Pre-heat the oven to 150C/gas 2.
3. Separate the eggs. Save the yolks for mayo or a tart. Tip the whites into a large grease-free bowl. Measure the sugar and have it nearby.
4. Whisk the egg whites for a few seconds. As soon as they reach the white foamy stage start to add the sugar, a teaspoon at a time. Whisk until incorporated before adding the next teaspoon. Continue until it’s all in.
5. Continue to whisk until the meringue is very stiff and glossy and stands in peaks when flicked.
6. Dab a bit of mix in each corner of 2 baking trays. Lay greaseproof or silicone paper over each tray. To place the meringues: dab teaspoons of mix over the trays, using another teaspoon to tease it off. Leave space between. Or spoon the meringue into a piping bag fitted with a medium nozzle. Pipe blobs over each tray. Reduce the heat to 140/gas 1.

Cook

1. Bake the meringues for 1 hour. If they are browning, reduce the heat a bit.
2. Once crisp all though (lift one off the paper to check the base is cooked), turn the heat off. Leave them in the oven for an hour to dry out. Or remove them earlier if you prefer a fluffy or chewy centre.
3. Sit the tray of meringues on a cooling rack. If you put them on a solid cold surface the meringue will crack. Leave until ready to eat. Or once cold, store them in an airtight container. They will last for a few days.

Assemble and Plate

1. Wash, pat dry and chop your fruit as you like. Divide between bowls. Float a meringue on top of each one and pile the rest onto a plate for the table.