Strawberries with Whipped Cream and Meringue Nest (Valais Surprise (Surpresa do Valais))

Wash and hull the strawberries

Melt the strawberry compote or gelée with the Cointreau or Curacao liqueur over low heat in a small bowl

Pour this mixture over the fresh strawberries and let it sit at room temperature

Beat the egg whites until stiff, with a pinch of salt

When well beaten, mix in 150 g of sugar without beating, but gently folding

Place this meringue in a piping bag to decorate cakes

Butter a tray, dust it with flour and pipe the meringue onto it using the cake decorating tool to form a nest or basket that can hold 250 g of whipped cream

Dust with sugar and bake in a very low oven for about 15 minutes

Carefully remove the meringue from the tray and turn it over, placing it back in the oven for another quarter hour

Then, let it cool and dry completely

To make the whipped cream, mix the heavy cream and milk and refrigerate for at least half an hour

Beat the mixture until light and fluffy, then refrigerate again

When serving, place the meringue nest on a plate

Arrange the strawberries in the center

Combine the remaining sugar with the butter and flour, and mix well

Cover the strawberries completely with the whipped cream, so they are not visible: that's the surprise.