I fully intended to use this post to describe how perfect this Swiss Meringue recipe is, but recent events in my life have lead me to this instead. Once my fingers hit the keyboard, I couldn't stop... so here it is. (If you're solely here for the recipe and not the life lesson, scroll to the bottom)
I learned a valuable lesson in love and life yesterday. Three weeks ago I decided to end my one year long-distance relationship. It was a tough decision, but one that I had been contemplating for a few weeks. Mistakes had been made recently and our lines of communication suffered due to distance and work schedules. I made up my mind to end it and did so cordially and matter of factly. There was no struggle, no fight. It was just... over. I woke up the next day with a new lease on life. I would focus on myself, get to the gym, lose a few pounds, work on my blog, reinvigorate my career and reconnect with old friends.
A week later I started having my doubts. Did I make the right decision? Will I wake up and regret this in a few months? He offered me change... a big change... a big move. You see, he recently moved to California and only a few months ago had wanted me to move there too. I thought about it. It was tempting. I started making plans. But ultimately, no matter the offer, I struggled with whether or not the relationship was solid enough to warrant such a big change.
But, that didn't stop me from panicking. What had I done? Why did I break up with someone who only a few months ago wanted to provide for me, wanted to be with me. He loved me, right? Surely, this was just a phase and we could get through it.
So, I tried to fix it. I had Adele on repeat, and together, we were rolling in the deep of my emotions. I poured my heart out, I reasoned, I foolishly took the blame and got shot down. Emails, voice messages, birthday wishes. I was ignored for a over a week and made to feel as if his mistakes were my fault and that I was being punished. Ultimately, it ended in a nasty text on Tuesday night and I woke up the next morning to find that I had been unfriended on Facebook (it's a shame people see this as the ultimate f*** you these days).
So, moral of the story here ladies: Trust your gut instinct. Listen to your mother when she tells you this guy's not the one for you. And for God's sake, stop listening to Adele! Three weeks ago I was perfectly happy with my decision. I was moving on. I was in a good place. I was taking cues from He's Just Not that Into You, which has been my break-up guide book on more than one occasion. Yet, I ignored the classic warning signs of a man who isn't worth the time and I wasted two weeks that could have been spent on ME.
So I'm sorry, Adele... but I'm trading you in for Cee-Lo. You know the song.
And so begins my new relationship with Swiss Meringue.
Fresh, sweet strawberries are folded into this light meringue frosting. Pair it with a simple yellow cupcake or mix it up with coconut. It's the perfect summer frosting. Top with a fresh strawberry slice and some sweetened coconut.
Fresh Strawberry Swiss Meringue Frosting
Adapted from Martha Stewart
Makes 5 cups
4 large egg whites
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature, cut into tablespoons
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and diced (or enough to make 1 1/2 cup puree)
1/4 cup sugar to sweeten the strawberries, if needed.
In a food processor, puree the strawberries until smooth. You will need 1 1/2 cup of puree. Sweeten if needed.
In the heatproof bowl of a stand mixer, whisk the egg whites and sugar over a pot of simmering water. Whisk continuously until the mixture is warm to the touch and the sugar has completely dissolved. It should feel smooth not gritty if you rub it through your fingers.
In a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, whisk the mixture on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form. Continue mixing until it's fluffy and glossy (about 10 minutes).
Turn the mixer down to low and begin adding the butter, one tablespoon at a time. Add the vanilla. If the mixture separates at this point, turn the mixer back to medium-high and keep whisking it until it comes back together. Trust, me it will. And if it doesn't, refrigerate the mixture for a few minutes and try again.
Gently fold in the strawberries until combined. Keep refrigerated.
