Sometimes my timing is off. During the last days of summer I collected and baked a rare autumn treat, ground cherries. On the first day of fall I took a field trip to a community supported agricultural garden and picked a quart of a beloved summer delicacy, raspberries. That they had not already been scavenged by birds, bees and other berry fiends amazed me. That they retained their brilliant ruby color and sweet, juicy flavor at the end of a long growing season was even more shocking. How lucky could I get?

Although I’d spent much of the summer simmering, pureeing and swirling fruits into desserts, I didn’t want to toss these fresh-from-the-vine beauties into a blender or pot. Such gorgeousness should be showcased and not transformed into a lumpy, red mass. Rather than just serve them whole with a dollop of homemade whipped cream, I turned to an old family favorite, the meringue. A simple sweet, it would be the perfect foundation for these exquisite berries.

If your ancestors are French as a smattering of mine are, then you might swear that meringues originated in France. After all, they star in the classic French dessert île flottante. However, if your relatives are Swiss, you may claim these sweetened, whipped and slowly baked egg whites for Switzerland. Historians can’t say with any certainty which country created them. The one thing upon which everyone can agree, though, is that meringues make a lovely vessel for seasonal fruit.

Although tempted to sail my raspberry meringue boats across an ocean of crème anglaise and channel the old île flottante, I left them dry docked on dessert plates. You can eat these with fork or fingers. The choice is yours.

RASPBERRY MERINGUE BOATS
Makes 2 dozen

for the meringues:
4 large egg whites, at room temperature
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
2 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped
2-3 cups fresh raspberries

for the almond cream:
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon almond extract

To make the raspberry-chocolate meringue boats, preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

Using an electric mixer, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form. See the photo directly below for an example of soft peaks.

Add the vanilla extract and balsamic vinegar and beat until incorporate. Adding the sugar a spoonful at a time, continue to beat the egg whites until stiff, glossy peaks form. The photo below depicts egg whites beaten into stiff, glossy peaks.

Sprinkle the ground cocoa and chopped chocolate over the top. Using a spatula, fold the cocoa and chocolate into the egg whites. Once they’ve been incorporated, place 1 to 2 tablespoons of meringue on the parchment-lined baking sheet. Using the back of the spoon, make a shallow indentation in the center of the meringue; this is where the raspberries will “sail.” Repeat until you’ve filled up both cookie sheets.

Place the baking sheets in the oven and lower the temperature to 280 degrees. Bake for 1 1/4 hours and then check for doneness by sampling one of the meringues. If, when you bite into it, the texture is firm and the center seems crisp, the meringue is done. If it’s still moist and sticky, leave the meringues in the oven for another 15 to 30 minutes. When finished, turn off the oven and allow the meringues to cool inside on the parchment. When cool, the meringues should lift easily from the parchment paper. If not, use a thin, flat, metal spatula to remove them.

Before assembling your raspberry boats, you’ll need to make the almond cream. Place the cream, sugar and almond extract in a large bowl and beat until soft peaks form.

To assemble, spread a thin layer of whipped cream over the meringue boat. Place an ample amount of raspberries on top of the cream. Repeat until all the boats are made.