Never-Ending Meringue Tart

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 120°C/250°F for a conventional oven or 100°C/210°F for a fan or convection oven.

Step 2: On a sheet of baking paper, use a pencil to mark two rectangles, each 11 x 40 cm / 4.5 x 15 inches, leaving 2.5 cm / 1 inch between them. Repeat on another sheet of paper, for four outlines in total.

Step 3: Find two baking trays large enough for the outlines to fit on the tray surface when the trays are turned upside down; the rims can get in the way of piping.

Step 4: Fit a large piping bag with an 11 mm / 0.5-inch round nozzle. If you do not have a piping bag, a zip-top bag can be used.

Step 5: Separate the egg whites while the eggs are cold from the refrigerator.

Step 6: Put the whites in a large, clean, dry bowl. Whip until they become foamy and no liquid whites remain, about 1 minute at speed 8.

Step 7: With the beater still running, add the sugar one heaped tablespoon at a time, over about 1 minute.

Step 8: After adding all the sugar, increase the beater to speed 10 and whip for 1 minute. The meringue should look glossy, with barely any sugar grit when rubbed between your fingers; a little grit is fine.

Step 9: Spoon half the meringue into the piping bag.

Step 10: Dab a small amount of meringue on one corner of an upside-down baking tray. Place the paper on the tray with the pencil markings facing down.

Step 11: Pipe meringue inside the outlines; gaps are fine. Smooth it with a dessert spoon to make a base about ½ cm thick, which will rise to about 7 mm when cooked.

Step 12: Pipe blobs along one short end to form the tart end, and all along both long sides. Make two of these on Tray 1, then place the tray in the oven.

Step 13: Pipe the remaining meringue onto Tray 2, but do not pipe blobs along the short ends; these are the middle pieces. Put the tray in the oven on the shelf just below Tray 1.

Step 14: Use any remaining meringue to pipe extra small blobs for repairs, decoration or nibbling. Place this tray on the floor of the oven.

Step 15: Bake for 45 minutes, then swap the two trays. The tray with the extra blobs does not need to be moved.

Step 16: Bake for a further 30 minutes. Turn off the oven, keep the door closed and leave the meringue to cool. It should be dry and crisp and lift easily from the paper.

Step 17: Put the cream, vanilla and sugar in a bowl and whip until soft peaks form.

Step 18: Use a knife to trim the joining ends of the meringue pieces so they are straight.

Step 19: Dab cream on a cut end and join the meringue pieces. Assemble the tart where you plan to serve it.

Step 20: Spread the remaining cream over the tart, top with fruit and dust with sugar. Serve immediately.