Name: Almond Meringue Recipe with Raspberry Sorbet
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 90 min
Total time: 120 min
Ingredients: 2/3 cup sliced almonds; 2 egg whites; 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar; 1/2 cup granulated sugar; 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice; 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract; 1/2 cup 1/4 pint raspberry sorbet

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A low-fat dessert recipe for Valentine's Day: Almond Meringue with Raspberry Sorbet.

Talk about going from one extreme to the next. Just as we flip the channel from a screenful of men dressed in heaving padding and beating the tar out of each other, then we find it's time to start talking about pink hearts, roses and Valentine's Day dinners for our loved ones. (Check out my boys' 6-second tribute to the Super Bowl - turn on the sound by click on the speaker icon at the bottom left of the video. Maybe I can convince them to do a something a little more sensitive for Valentine's Day. Uh-huh.)

Perhaps this dichotomy in our personalities is what keeps us sane and somewhat interesting. Whatever the reason, I think that most of us can agree that we like to indulge in a sweet treat once in awhile, and that making a special dessert for our loved ones is one way to express our affection on Valentine's Day. Or any day, for that matter.

This is a dessert I've made for a long time. In fact, I grew up eating meringue cookies, filled with chocolate chips or crystallized ginger, from my grandmother's kitchen. They look fancy, but all they require is some whipped, sugared egg whites and a little patience (they bake slowly in the oven). The beauty is that they can be made the day ahead. This recipe makes six meringues, studded with nutty toasted almonds, but only calls for two of them. The extra meringues can be stored in an airtight container in the freezer for up to three months.

If raspberry sorbet isn't your thing (though it makes a pretty presentation for Valentine's Day), then replace it with your favorite flavor of sorbet. Using sorbet, rather than ice cream, cuts down on the calorie and fat count significantly. If you prefer to make your own sorbet, try this Easy Strawberry Sorbet Recipe.

The recipe:

Preheat the oven to 225 degrees F.

In a medium skillet set over medium heat, toast the almonds until light golden brown. Transfer to a cutting board and coarsely chop.

Draw 6 circles on parchment paper, using a 4-inch circle cutter or rim of a glass. Flip over the parchment paper and place it on a large baking sheet.

Place the egg whites and cream of tartar in the bowl of a mixer. Using the whisk attachment (or a hand mixer), mix on high speed until the eggs are foamy. Continue to mix on high speed while gradually adding the sugar. Whip until the egg whites form stiff peaks. Do not underbeat.

Beat in the lemon juice and vanilla extract. Fold in all but 2 tablespoons of the toasted almonds.

Scoop even portions of the egg white mixture onto the 6 circles. Use the back of a spoon to spread the egg whites to the edge of each circle. Put the baking sheets in the oven. Bake for 1 ½ hours, then turn off the oven and leave the meringues in the oven for an additional 30 minutes.

Gently peel the meringues off of the parchment. Cool completely and put 4 of the meringues in an airtight container and freeze for a future use.

Place 2 meringues on plates, top each with half of the raspberry sorbet. Sprinkle with the remaining chopped almonds and serve.

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