PROGRESS REPORT

completed
–weeks 1 to 2: fibreglass cast + crutches | non weight bearing
–weeks 3 to 5: air cast + crutches knee scooter | non weight bearing
-week 6: farewell scooter | weight bearing
-week 7: boot walking
-week 8: walking out of boot

currently
-week 9: With the help of Youtube, I’ve started stretching and strengthening my tendon.  Within my exercises, I have also incorporated hydrotherapy – walking laps in the pool + stretching which eventually turns into an aquatic ballet barre.

North West wasn’t the only who celebrated her summer bday with mermaid sparkle.  Though I wasn’t allowed to bake myself a birthday cake [Mike would not have it], I wasn’t about to show up to a party empty handed; regardless if the party was my own.

One day, while on Instagram, I came across these meringue shells on a baking account that I follow.  I figured I already had the ingredients needed to make them and thought they’d be a cute addition to my bday desserts.

Any time I make meringues, I turn to the Meringue Girls’ for their recipe + technique.

M E R I N G U E  S H E L L S
[1/2 batch]

• 3/4C sugar
• 75g egg whites
• white chocolate covered almonds
• blue food colour
• edible gold dusting powder
• edible silver dusting powder

preheat oven to 400ºF
line baking sheet with parchment + pour sugar onto parchment
heat in oven for 5mins
while sugar heats, beat egg whites with a mixer
start @ low speed and gradually increase to high until stiff white peaks form | to test, flip the mixing bowl upside down -whites shouldn’t move

take sugar out of oven | the outer rim of the sugar pile should start to lightly brown
while egg whites beat on high, 1 tbsp at a time, start to scoop in the warm sugar
once all added, continue to whisk for 5 to 7 mins until sugar is dissolved and white shiny peaks are formed

the perfect instructional video –>here<–

add your desired colour to the meringue mixture
scoop the meringue mix into a pipping bag with round pipping tip attached
start piping out your shells

I tried to illustrate above the path I took with the pipping bag to create the shells
start at the tip of the 1st shell mound and then pipe down and then back up to form the 2nd mound and then back down again
repeat until a fanned shell shape is formed
[this will take some practice]

preheat oven to 200ºF
once piping is complete, bake sheets 30 to 40 mins
**be sure to keep the oven closed for at least the 1st 15 to 20 mins; resist the urge to peek!**
you know the shells are done when they are stiff to the touch and can cleanly lift off the sheet
let shells completely cool while on baking sheet

while cooling, create the pearls by brushing silver dusting powder all around the white chocolate covered almond balls
when the shells have cooled, brush on gold dusting powder

to complete, prepare a white chocolate ganache [colouring however you like]
pair the shells and gently pipe a mound of ganache onto 1 half of the pair
sandwich the ganache at an angle with the other half
in the middle-front place a chocolate pearl into the ganache

These shells were there perfect underwater touch to my seafood themed party. And though I had to make 2 batches before I got the size and the piping technique down, I suppose they were a much less stressful desert to bake than macarons or a cake.

Enjoy!