James Tanner's meringue Christmas wreath
It wouldn't be Christmas without a festive wreath, so James Tanner is creating a decoration of the edible variety!
Meringue Christmas Wreath: Serves 8
Ingredients:
5 egg whites
2 tsp cornflour
1tsp cream of tartar
Pinch of salt
1 tsp white wine vinegar, or lemon juice
250g caster sugar
To decorate:
8 figs
120ml sherry
1 tbsp runny honey
1 vanilla pod, deseeded but keep the pod
140ml double cream
25g bitter chocolate
1 tsp caster sugar
16 mint leaves, to decorate
Caster sugar, to frost mint leaves
Method:
Preheat oven to 120oC/ 250°F/ gas mark 1/2
In a large clean high sided bowl or machine whisk the egg whites with half the sugar until double the size. Then whisk in the remaining sugar a little at a time until combined. Whisk for 5 minutes and add the cornflour, cream of tartar, salt and vinegar or lemon juice it should become stiff and glossy.
Draw a dark circle approximately 20cm on a piece of greaseproof paper. Line a baking sheet with the greaseproof paper and stick down (pen side down) with a little of the meringue. Use a large kitchen spoon to spoon oval connecting shapes on to the baking sheet to create a meringue circle ‘wreath’.
Bake for 40 minutes, turn off the oven and leave meringue inside as the oven cools down for 30 minutes, or until it has a crisp coating and comes away from baking sheet without sticking.
Trim the fig stalks and cut into quarters across then place into a bowl. In a saucepan heat the sherry and honey with the vanilla pod, stir until the honey dissolves, then remove from heat and pour over the figs.
Cling film the bowl and leave to one side for the figs to steam and soak up the liquid.In another saucepan heat 70ml of the double cream and then add the bitter chocolate and whisk until fully melted (don’t boil).
Whisk the remaining cream with the 1tsp sugar and vanilla seeds to a stiff peak. To assemble the dish spread thin circle of cream onto a serving plate and secure the meringue ring on top.
Spoon the remaining cream between the meringue ovals, reserve any leftover cream to serve with the meringue.
Drain the figs and place on top of the cream with a drizzle of the reduced sherry liquid. Finish with a drizzle of chocolate sauce or serve on the side.
You can also garnish with mint leaves, for an even better frosted effect dip individual mint leaves into egg white, drain excess then dip into caster sugar. Leave to dry then use to decorate.