A glorious, showstopping centrepiece guaranteed to delight family and friends
The tart berries with sweet meringue make a perfect summer dessert.
Requires chilling and cooling time
Overview
Prep time
1 hr
20 mins
Cook time
1 hr
30 mins
Serves
4
-5
Ingredients
For the meringue layer
- 6 egg whites
- 350g caster sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla sugar or the vanilla seeds from 1 pod
- 2 tsp cornflour
- A few drops of vinegar
For the pastry cream
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 whole egg
- 30g cornflour
- 80g caster sugar
- ¼ tsp salt
- 500ml whole milk
- Seeds from 1 vanilla pod
- 25g unsalted butter
For the gooseberry compote
- 300g fresh gooseberries, plus extra to garnish
- 2-3 tbsp caster sugar (or more if needed)
For the cream topping
- 300ml whipping cream
Method
Step
Preheat the oven to 120C/100C fan/gas mark ½.
Step
To make the meringue, whip 6 egg whites in the very clean bowl of a stand mixer or with a hand-held electric whisk until soft peaks form.
Step
Start to slowly add 350g caster sugar mixed with 1 tsp vanilla sugar or the vanilla seeds from 1 pod, bit by bit.
Step
Continue whisking at high speed for around four to five minutes until the meringue is stiff and glossy. If you can no longer feel the sugar grains, it is a good indication.
Step
Fold in 2 tsp cornflour and a few drops of vinegar.
Step
Pile the meringue on to a baking sheet lined with non-stick baking parchment in a loose rectangle shape.
Step
Bake in the warm oven for around 1 hour 30 minutes or until crisp on the outside.
Step
Turn off the oven but leave the meringue in there to cool for a good few hours if you can, with the door propped open with a wooden spoon.
Step
Meanwhile, prepare the pastry cream. Whisk together 1 egg yolk and 1 whole egg with 30g cornflour, 80g caster sugar and ¼ tsp salt until well combined and set aside.
Step
Heat 500ml whole milk and the seeds from 1 vanilla pod until just boiling in a saucepan.
Step
Slowly pour one third of the milk into the egg and cornflour mixture, while whisking vigorously to incorporate but not scramble the eggs.
Step
Pour the egg mixture back into the saucepan with the rest of the milk.
Step
Whisk continuously and bring to the boil again for around 30 seconds until thickened. Remove from the heat and stir in 25g unsalted butter.
Step
Pour into a bowl and leave to cool with a layer of baking parchment on top to prevent a skin from forming.
Step
Refrigerate, ideally for a few hours, before using. (This makes twice as much as you need but leftovers will keep well in the fridge for a few days.)
Step
Prepare 300g fresh gooseberries by removing the tops and tails.
Step
Place into a saucepan with 2-3 tbsp caster sugar (or more if needed) and a dash of water. Bring to the boil and cook for three minutes until the berries are soft.
Step
Mash lightly with a fork and taste – they might need more sugar. Gooseberries are delightful because they are sour, so don’t add too much. Set the compote aside to cool, then refrigerate until needed.
Step
For the topping, whip 300ml whipping cream and fold together with half the quantity of pastry cream.
Step
Place the meringue on a serving plate and pile over the whipped cream mixture.
Step
Top with the gooseberry compote and extra fresh gooseberries to garnish.
Extracted from ScandiKitchen Summer by Bronte Aurell (Ryland Peters & Small, £10.86)