Tropical Fruit Soup

• 1 cinnamon stick (2 in.)
• 1 star anise
• 8 whole cloves
• 8 black peppercorns
• 2 stalks (about 2 oz.) fresh lemon grass
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 tablespoons grated orange peel
• 4 thin, quarter-size slices peeled fresh ginger
• 1 piece vanilla bean (2 in.)
• 1 tablespoon rum
• 1 large egg white
• 1/2 cup unsweetened shredded dried coconut
• About 2 cups fruit (see notes)
• 1 pint coconut or tropical fruit sorbet
• Mint sprigs, rinsed

1. Put cinnamon, star anise, cloves, and peppercorns in a heavy plastic food bag; coarsely crush with a rolling pin.
2. Trim and discard root ends and coarse outer leaves from lemon grass. Chop tender white part of stalks.
3. In a 1- to 1 1/2-quart pan over high heat, combine 2 cups water, crushed spices, lemon grass, 2/3 cup sugar, orange peel, and ginger. Slit vanilla bean lengthwise; scrape seeds into pan and add pod. Bring to a boil, remove from heat, cover, and let stand at least 1 hour.
4. Pour spice syrup through a fine strainer into a bowl; discard residue. Add rum, cover, and chill until cold, at least 2 hours or up to 2 days.
5. Meanwhile, in a bowl with a mixer on high speed, whip egg white until it holds soft peaks. Gradually add remaining 1/3 cup sugar, and continue to beat until white holds distinct peaks. Fold in coconut.
6. Line a 12- by 15-inch baking sheet with cooking paper or parchment. With a narrow spatula, spread egg white mixture in a 10- by 13-inch rectangle.
7. Bake in a 350u0b0 oven until meringue is deep golden brown, about 10 minutes. Let cool on sheet to room temperature. Gently pull off paper, then break meringue into 4 or 8 equal pieces.
8. Spoon fruit equally into wide soup bowls and fill equally with spice syrup. Scoop sorbet into balls and add equally to bowls; insert meringue pieces into sorbet, and garnish with mint sprigs.

cinnamon, anise, cloves, stalks, sugar, thin, vanilla bean, rum, egg white, coconut, coconut, sprigs

Taken from www.myrecipes.com/recipe/tropical-fruit-soup (may not work)