Triple-Berry Crisps with Meringue Streusel

This fresh berry dessert uses a baked meringue that's crumbled and stirred into the streusel. The filling uses crystallized ginger and orange rind for a decidedly tart flavor that contrasts with the sweet topping. Because the meringue needs to sit in the oven at least 12 hours, make it a day before serving. Or make our same-day Almond Streusel variation. At her restaurant Flying Fish, Chef Christine Keff serves the crisps in small skillets, but we tested them in ramekins as well. You can also make a single crisp in a 13 x 9-inch baking dish. For a real treat, serve with ice cream.

Yield:

12 servings (serving size: 1 ramekin)

Ingredients

1. For the Streusel:
2. =============
3. 3 large egg whites
4. 6 tablespoons sugar
5. 1/4 cup sliced almonds
6. 1/4 cup flaked sweetened coconut
7. 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
8. 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
9. 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
10. 1 tablespoon grated lemon rind
11. 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
12. 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
13. 1 1/2 tablespoons chilled butter, cut into small pieces
14. .
15. For the filling:
16. ============
17. 4 cups blueberries
18. 2 cups blackberries
19. 2 cups raspberries
20. 1/4 cup cornstarch
21. 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
22. 1/2 cup orange juice
23. 3 tablespoons chopped crystallized ginger
24. 2 tablespoons finely grated orange rind

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 200°.
2. To prepare streusel, place egg whites in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at high speed until foamy (about 30 seconds). Gradually add sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until stiff peaks form (about 2 minutes). Gently fold in almonds, coconut, and 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon. Spread as evenly as possible onto a parchment-lined 15 x 10-inch jelly roll pan.
3. Bake 2 1/2 hours. Turn oven off; cool meringue in closed oven at least 12 hours or until completely dry. Remove meringue from paper. Crumble meringue into 1/4-inch pieces.
4. Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour and the next 4 ingredients (flour through 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon) in a bowl; cut in butter with a pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse meal. Stir in meringue pieces.
5. Preheat oven to 350°.
6. To prepare filling, combine blueberries and next 7 ingredients (blueberries through orange rind) in a bowl; toss well. Spoon 1/2 cup filling into each of 12 (6-ounce) ramekins or custard cups coated with cooking spray. Top each with 1/3 cup meringue streusel mixture. Place ramekins on a baking sheet; bake at 350° for 10 minutes or until bubbly. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Notes

You can also make this dessert in a 13 x 9-inch baking dish. (Bake for 30 minutes or until bubbly.) Or use small skillets like the one above, which we found at Williams-Sonoma. (Bake for 25 minutes.) The recipe makes enough to fill 6 skillets, 2 servings per skillet.