Granny’s Meringue Cake, by Ox Barn, Thyme

Serves

4

Prep Time

30 mins

Cooking Time

60 mins

Ingredients

For the meringue cake

• 4 egg whites, approximately 150g
• 300g caster sugar
• ½ tsp cider or white wine vinegar
• 1 level tsp cornflour
• cream, gently whipped
• poached pears, see below, cut into quarters
• handful of blanched and toasted almonds, chopped

For the poached pears

• 4 pears
• 1 lemon, rind peeled into strips, juice reserved
• 500ml white wine
• 350g caster sugar
• 1 vanilla pod, split, seeds scraped out
• 3 bay leaves
• 10 black peppercorns

Method

To make the meringue cake

• Preheat the oven to 110C/Gas ¼.
• In a mixer, beat the egg whites in a scrupulously clean and dry bowl until they form stiff peaks.
• Bit by bit, slowly pour in the sugar until the mix is stiff and glossy.
• Then add the vinegar and cornflour and beat until incorporated (no more than 5-10 seconds).
• Gently spoon the mixture onto an oven tray covered with a piece of baking paper and bake for 1 hour.
• Take it out and let it cool completely.
• Top with whipped cream, poached pears and almonds.

To make the poached pears

• Peel the pears and add the lemon juice to prevent them from browning.
• Put all the ingredients except for the pears into a pot with 500ml water.
• Bring to a simmer and drop in the pears.
• Cover them with a circle of baking paper, so that they stay under the surface, and allow them to soften. Don’t let the liquid boil, because that will make them break apart.
• After about 20 minutes, test the pears with a paring knife; they should be soft to the core but holding their shape. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.