Lemon curd in Meringue shells

[CurlySue]

I'm hosting Easter dinner at our house for the first time this year and I'm trying to put together my menu.

I'm a decent cook, but not a pro like most of you. I'm an above-average-home-baker but again, no pro. My family is not picky, at all.

I really really want to make meringue "baskets" filled with lemon curd and strawberries for dessert. I've researched the "lemon curd" thread and come up with a few recipes I'd like to try.

My problem lies in the meringue. I've made Italian Meringue buttercream for many cakes so I'm familiar with the process. However, I have a huge bucket of H&H meringue powder leftover from my cake days that I'd really like to use. I seem to recall it has a few recipes on the side, one for cold and one for baked meringue. Will it work to follow the "baked" recipe, and pipe and bake baskets?

Assuming I can follow that recipe and bake the shells, how long will they last? Obviously I'll be busy on Easter making the rest of the meal so I'd prefer to avoid dealing with baking and filling meringue shells too, but I will if I have to. I'd prefer to bake them the night before, let them sit somewhere, and fill them just before guests arrive. I'd actually like to fill them the night before too but I think the moisture from the curd will spoil the meringue shells, right?

TIA for any help or advice!

[bdonaghy]

The meringue, if you keep it in a dry coolish environment should last for awhile. But as you state in your post, add your cream just prior to service and you will get the crunch that you want.

Good Luck!

b

[sparrowgrass]

Just an April Fool's note--I made "fried eggs" one year with meringue and lemon curd. The kids loved them.

[CurlySue]

Thanks b, that's what I'll do then. I have a good place to store them so they should be fine overnight, and I'll fill before dinner.

sparrowgrass, I could make "deviled eggs" with the meringue and curd!

[sparrowgrass]

Not being skilled with a pastry bag, the best I could do was uneven "blops" that looked like fried eggs.