A simple recipe for a meringue base, perfect for topping with fruits or creams. It involves beating egg whites with sugars, vanilla, and a touch of lime, then baking slowly at a low temperature to create a crisp shell.
Preheat your oven to around 212° F (100° C). In a very clean bowl, beat the egg whites until they start to get foamy. When they are nearing soft peaks, start slowly pouring in the granulated sugar with the mixer running. Sift in the powdered sugar, keep mixing, then add vanilla paste and squeeze half a lime in while the mixer is still going. Mix until you have a thick, almost (but not quite) marshmallowy texture. Use a smidge of the mixture in each corner to secure a piece of parchment paper on a half-sheet tray. Spread the remaining mixture (99% of it) in a circle with around an 8-inch diameter, but make the edges taller than the center to create space for the eventual toppings. Bake for 1 hour, then turn off the oven, and without opening the oven door, let it sit for at least 30 minutes. Then, you can let it finish cooling on the counter. Top as desired!
