Put the egg whites in a clean bowl and whisk to form stiff peaks. Sprinkle over a couple of tablespoons of the granulated sugar and fold into the mixture. Continue folding in the remaining sugar in the same way, adding the cornstarch and vinegar with the last spoonfuls.

Drop heaped tablespoonfuls of the mixture onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them slightly apart. Using a wet teaspoon, make an indentation in the top of each one. Bake in a preheated oven at 275 degrees for about 45 minutes until dry and just beginning to color. Using a spatula, carefully remove the meringues from the baking sheets and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

To serve, top each meringue with a couple of spoonfuls of crème fraiche, a few raspberries and one or two slices of nectarine. Dust with confectioners’ sugar, if liked, and serve immediately.

Reprinted with permission from Afternoon Tea by Susannah Blake. Copyright 2006. Published by Ryland Peters and Small.

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