Extravagantly sweet, creamy and spiced, this dessert is a feast for the senses. Made from carefully curated elements, it comes together in a fantastic heap of colour and swirls that won’t go uneaten for long. Take your time to perfect this masterpiece. It’s a truly blissful treat for your Christmas occasion.
Ingredients:
For the Brown Sugar Meringue
● 140g Light Soft Brown Sugar
● 6 Egg Whites (180ml)
● 150g Caster Sugar
● 1/2 tsp Cream of Tartar or 1 tsp White Vinegar
For the Spiced Ginger Beer Poached Pears
● 5 Pears
● 500ml Ginger Geer
● 2 Strips of Orange Peel and Lemon Peel Cut with a Peeler
● Juice of 1 Orange
● Juice of 1 Lemon
● 80g Light Brown Sugar
● 2 Cinnamon Sticks
● 4 Star Anise
● 7 Cloves
● 1 Vanilla Pod or 1 tsp Vanilla Bean Paste
For the Citrus Curd
● 150ml Clementine or Orange Juice
● 100ml Lemon Juice
● Zest from 2 Lemons and 2 Oranges
● 80g Caster Sugar
● 2 Whole Eggs and 2 Yolks
● 70g Butter
To Assemble
● 300 ml Double Cream
● 4 tbsp Poaching Syrup or Icing Sugar
● Edible Gold Leaf or a Spray (optional)
● 3 Clementines, Peeled and Finely Sliced
Method:
For the Meringues
1. Preheat the oven to 120°C.
2. Line two large baking trays with baking paper.
3. Sift the brown sugar into a bowl and set aside.
4. Make sure your bowl and whisk attachment are spotlessly clean. Using a stand mixer or handheld electric whisk, beat the egg whites and a pinch of salt until soft peaks form. Add the castor sugar in 3 lots, beating until the whites are glossy and thick. With the motor of the mixer running on low, sprinkle in the brown sugar slowly a tbsp at a time. Add the cream of tartar/vinegar. Turn the mixer up and beat until stiff peaks form and the sugar has dissolved.
5. Spoon mounds of meringue onto the trays, leaving space between. Or pipe meringue on in nests.
6. Bake for around 1 hour to one hour and 15 minutes until firm. Turn the oven off then prop the door open. Leave until the meringues are cold.
For the Pears
1. Peel the pears and add to a small saucepan.
2. Pour in the ginger beer and add the lemon and orange juice, ensuring the pears are covered.
3. Add the brown sugar, spices, vanilla and strips of zest then place on a medium heat. Stir to dissolve the sugar and simmer for 25-30 minutes or until the pears are tender.
For the Citrus Curd
1. Add the juice, eggs and yolks and sugar in a saucepan then whisk to combine.
2. Stir over a low to medium heat, constantly until it thickens and coats the back of the spoon.
3. Remove from the heat and pour through a sieve into a bowl.
4. Mix in the butter a little at a time.
5. Leave to chill in the fridge for at least an hour.
To Assemble
1. Whip the cream until soft peaks form, then add the poaching syrup to sweeten.
2. Arrange some of the meringues on a serving plate, add the cream then spoon over some of the curd. Add some more meringues. Slice the poached pears and remove their cores. Add these and the clementines, then drizzle over some more curd. Decorate with edible gold for an extra special touch.
Recipe from www.stellar.co.uk