Strawberry Mousse with Meringue Hearts

Ingredients

• 2 large egg whites 
• 1 tablespoon gelatin powder plain
• 1 cup cup heavy whipping cream 
• 1 tablespoon juice of lemon 
• 3 cups strawberries frozen thawed (from a 16-oz. bag)
• 1 cup sugar 

Equipment

• food processor
• bowl
• frying pan
• baking sheet
• sauce pan
• baking paper
• oven
• whisk
• sieve
• hand mixer
• wooden spoon
• spatula

Directions

1. Combine lemon juice and 1 Tbsp. water in a small saucepan.
2. Sprinkle gelatin over and let stand for 10 minutes.
3. In a food processor, blend strawberries and 1/2 cup sugar until smooth. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a large bowl; discard solids.
4. Place pan with gelatin over very low heat and warm, stirring to dissolve gelatin.
5. Whisk into strawberry mixture.
6. Using an electric mixer at medium-high speed, beat cream until it forms stiff peaks. With a large flexible spatula, fold 1/3 of whipped cream into strawberry mixture until well combined, then fold in remaining cream until no white streaks remain. Cover with plastic (pressing it onto surface of mousse to prevent a skin from forming) and refrigerate until well chilled, at least 1 hour.
7. Make meringues: Preheat oven to 250F, place a rack on top rung and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a heatproof bowl, combine egg whites with remaining 1/2 cup sugar. Set bowl over a saucepan of simmering water (be sure bottom of bowl does not touch water).
8. Heat, whisking constantly, until mixture is very warm to touch, about 5 minutes.
9. Transfer to an electric mixer and beat at high speed until mixture has quadrupled in volume, holds stiff peaks and is glossy, about 5 minutes.
10. Spoon meringue into a piping bag and pipe 16 1 1/2-inch hearts onto baking sheet.
11. Bake for 30 minutes. Turn off oven, prop open oven door with handle of a wooden spoon and let meringues sit, undisturbed, until completely dry and no longer chewy, at least 4 hours or overnight.
12. Serve mousse in bowls, each garnished with 2 or 3 hearts; pass remaining meringues.