Vanilla Meringue
Meringue is a wonderful dessert to serve as the components can be made well in advance and kept in the fridge. Just take them out when you serve the main course, so they have a chance to come up to room temperature, otherwise the flavours will be dulled.
Serves 2-4
Ingredients
- For the meringue:
- 2 egg whites (medium, each weighing 30g)
- 1135g caster sugar
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
- For the cream:
- 200ml double cream
- 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
- For the rhubarb:
- 2 stalks of pink rhubarb
- 1 teaspoon of caster sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon
Method
Preheat oven to 110C and line a baking sheet with a non-stick parchment
Whisk the egg whites until stiff and dry
Add a table spoon of sugar for each egg white and whisk after each addition until stiff
Add half the remaining sugar and whisk in, localised whisking, will turn shiny and glossy
Add the rest of the sugar and gently fold in
Pipe or just spoon the mixture onto the baking sheet
Bake for 35-45 minutes until the meringues lift off easily of the paper
Leave to cool and then decorate with the cream and rhubarb
For the rhubarb:
Chop the rhubarb into 1/2cm chunks and place into a pan with the other ingredients and 2 tablespoons of water
Place on a medium heat and cover with a lid
Stew for 10 minutes, until the rhubarb has broken down, but not lost its colour
Pour through a sieve if the mixture is too wet
Leave to cool
For the cream:
Whip the cream lightly, until just staring to leave a ribbon, add the cinnamon and vanilla and fold in
Keep in the fridge until needed
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