As a kid, I loved making meringue. It was the perfect whisk-it-in-a-bowl and bung-it-in-the-oven treat. There was no cream of tartar or zesty lemon juice in my recipe. And there was zero precision or artistry to my method. Barring the odd oven fire, my meringues came out pretty okay, and with little fuss. The perfect meringue is soft and gooey on the inside and crunchy on the outside. It’s my Mum’s go-to pudding: meringues crushed up into pretty glass bowls and topped with thick cream and every kind of berry. This recipe has many more steps than I ever took, and my guess is that her meringues will have a fluffier and more nuanced texture than my sugary messes ever did. But oh, were they fun to make.