Blackberry and Apple Meringue with Walnuts and Elder

Here is the recipe for Blackberry and Apple Meringue with Walnuts and Elder .

INGREDIENTS

For the meringue

1. 4 egg whites


2. 200g golden caster sugar

For the topping

1. a dash of sunflower or walnut oil


2. 2 small to medium dessert apples, quartered, cored, then cut into 2 or 3 wedges


3. 1–2 tsp golden caster sugar (optional)


4. 300ml double cream


5. ½ vanilla pod, seeds scraped


6. 2 handfuls of blackberries


7. 35g shelled wet walnuts, walnuts or hazelnuts, roughly broken


8. 1 or 2 sprays of ripe elderberries, berries picked

METHODS

1. Heat the oven to 120C/gas mark 1.


2. Place the egg whites in a large, clean bowl. Whisk with a hand-held electric whisk (or in a food mixer) until they form and hold soft peaks.


3. Keeping the whisk running, add one large spoonful of sugar at a time, until incorporated.


4. Continue to whisk for a further 6-8 minutes, until the meringue is thick, pale, smooth and glossy.


5. Lightly grease a sheet of baking parchment and lay it on a large (at least 30 x 30cm) flat baking tray.


6. Spoon the meringue on to the parchment, into a large round with slightly peaked edges – it doesn’t have to be perfect.


7. Bake for 25-30 minutes, then turn down the heat to 90C/gas mark ½ and bake for a further two hours, until the meringue has formed a crisp shell.


8. Remove from the oven and allow to cool. (If you’re not using the meringue straight away, store it in an airtight container.)


9. Heat the oil in a non-stick pan over a medium heat, then add the apples. If a little tart, add the caster sugar and stir.


10. Cook for 4-5 minutes, turning them over occasionally, until they have taken on a little colour and are beginning to soften.


11. Remove from the heat and allow to cool. In a clean bowl, whisk the cream with the vanilla seeds until thick and pillowy.


12. Spoon over the meringue base, spreading the cream roughly out towards the edges.


13. Arrange the apple pieces over the cream. Scatter blackberries over the top.


14. Sprinkle over the wet walnuts (or walnuts or hazelnuts) and the elderberries, and serve.

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