Glasgow's Willow Tea Rooms are the only tearooms where architect Charles Rennie Mackintosh had complete control over every aspect of the design. The tearooms were named for the Scottish-Gaelic word "Sauchiehall," which means "alley of the willows," and the willows theme is featured throughout the building. In 1995 the prestigious British Tea Council invited the Willow to become one of the founding members of the Guild of Tea Rooms. The Willow serves luscious pastries and cakes, including these meringues sandwiched with whipped cream.

Ingredients

• 4 large egg whites
• 1 cup superfine sugar

Directions
1 Preheat the oven to 300 F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

2 In a large, dry bowl, beat the egg whites with an electric mixer on medium-low speed until soft peaks form. Do not overbeat or the whites will collapse. (To test for the right consistency, tip the bowl at an angle; if the mixture doesn't slide out, it's ready to add the sugar.)

3 Gradually beat in the sugar (about 1 tablespoon at a time), beating well after each addition, and continue to beat until thick, glossy peaks are formed. Drop spoonfuls of the mixture in mounds onto the prepared sheets (about 7 mounds per sheet), spacing them several inches apart.

4 Reduce the oven temperature to 275° F and bake for 1 hour, or until lightly colored. Turn off the oven and leave the meringues in for 1 hour longer. Remove from the oven and serve immediately, or store in an airtight container for up to a day.

Makes 14 large meringues.

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Reprinted with permission from Tea and Crumpets. Copyright 2009 by Chronicle Books. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.