MERINGUE PORCUPINES WITH CREAM FILLING

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Scoop spoonful of meringue onto large oval soup spoon, and use another soup spoon to form meringue into shape of small egg. Use second spoon to push meringue oval off first spoon, and onto parchment. Spoon 12 ovals onto each prepared baking sheet. Using a small offset spatula, pull out spikes of meringue, creating porcupine effect.
• Reduce oven to 200 degrees; bake until meringues are crisp on outside but have marshmallow consistency inside, about 1 hour. Reduce oven to 175 degrees if meringue starts to brown. Remove from oven, and gently press bottom of each meringue so that it caves in and can be filled. Turn off oven, and return to oven to dry, about 20 minutes. Let meringues cool completely before filling.
• Combine the cream and almond extract in a chilled bowl of an electric mixer, and whip on medium speed, until just stiff, about 2 minutes. Fill half the hollowed meringues with cream, the remaining half with preserves, and sandwich together. Serve as soon as possible after filling.