Kardinals with Sambuca-Scented Italian Cream and Fresh Fruit

In this recipe, meringue and sponge batter are piped out together, baked until feather-light, dry, and crumbly, then filled with sambuca cream. The Italian meringue in the filling makes it light, palatable, and merciful to the waistline, while the anise-flavored liqueur makes a nice bridge between the cream and the slightly acidic fresh fruit. I like this dessert just as well when it is a day old; the sponge and meringue sheets absorb moisture from the filling and become a bit chewy.