Coffee and macadamia nut meringue recipe
We have Ottolenghi: The Cookbook (Ebury Press, £25) to thank for this Swiss meringue idea, which is possibly one of the best ever.
Preparation time: 40 minutes
Cooking time: 2.5 hours
Serves 12
for the meringue:
200g (7oz) egg whites (about 3 large eggs, but you need to weigh them)
250g (9oz) caster sugar
150g (5oz) dark muscovado sugar
1tsp coffee essence such as Camp, or very strong espresso
for the filling:
75g (3oz) macadamia nuts
150g (5oz) granulated sugar
200ml (7 fl oz) double cream
50ml (2fl oz) coffee essence or strong espresso
35g (1.25oz) dark chocolate
you will need:
1 x large baking sheet and baking parchment
1 Preheat the oven to 110 C, 90 C fan, 225 F, ¼ gas. Bring a medium pan of water to a simmer. Add the egg whites and sugars to a large heat-proof bowl that will sit on the simmering pan of water without the bowl touching the water.
2 Place the bowl over the pan, ensuring the bowl is not in contact with the water. Stir occasionally, until the sugars have dissolved into a hot, syrupy liquid. This will take about 15 to 20 minutes. (If you don't dissolve the sugar completely you’ll have a grainy meringue, which won’t whisk up to a large enough volume.) Stir in the coffee essence.
3 Take the bowl off the heat and whisk on a high speed for about 10 minutes. You really need a stand-alone electric mixer to get the volume. The mixture must have cooled, be firm, glossy and hold its shape.
4 Use a pinch of meringue to stick each corner of the baking parchment to the baking sheet. Spoon the meringue out into a circle, about the size of a dinner plate, making a dip in the centre. Bake for 2.5 hours; it should be dry underneath (gently lift the meringue with a palette knife to check).
5 To make the filling, put the macadamias on oiled foil. Melt the sugar over a medium heat, without stirring, until it’s a light caramel. Pour it over the nuts and leave to set. Whip the cream and coffee and spoon into the meringue's centre. Chop the caramel and scatter over the cream. Melt the chocolate, drizzle over the meringue and serve.
Per serving: 239 calories, 14g fat (7g saturated), 27g carbohydrate
Get ahead
Make the meringue the day before but fill it at the last minute. Store in a cool, dark place – not the fridge.
