THE weather has been decidedly chilly over the last couple of weeks, but the spring colours and bright sunshine are a source of immense optimism.  Before long the cool wind will abate, and the weather will become balmier.

Time to put seasonal produce to good use. The asparagus season will soon give way to strawberries and raspberries. Try and pick your own strawberries on a warm summer’s day for maximum flavour. 

Or buy local ones from the farmers’ market. British strawberries sold in the right season are brimming with flavour and sweetness. Make sure you serve them at room temperature as chilling them takes the edge off their lusciousness.

Try making this colourful and impressive looking rose meringue – it looks fabulous, but is straightforward to make at home.

Some things just don’t work when they are produced commercially, and meringue is one of them.  Bought meringue tends to be hard and powdery, while the home-made variety is toffee like, with a chewy, marshmallow centre.  It isn’t hard to make – just follow the instructions to the letter.

The rose meringue recipe is  taken from Angela Gray’s Delicious Bundles cookbook (published by Graffeg), and was compiled from the meals she prepared for takeaway while her popular cookery school was closed due to the pandemic.

Angela is a star, as her recipes are always created with the home cook firmly in mind, so they invariably work.

Ingredients

Serves 6-8

5 eggs, whites only

275g caster sugar

75g ground almonds

1 teaspoon rose water

Topping

500ml double cream

2 tablespoons sifted icing sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla essence

400g mixed summer fruits e.g. strawberries, raspberries, blueberries etc.

200ml fruit sauce – make with 300g frozen summer fruits and 3 rounded tablespoons of sugar boiled together and blitzed with a stick blender. Then pass through a sieve into a bowl. Stir in ½ teaspoon rosewater.

 

Method

1) Preheat the oven to 160C/Fan 140C/Gas 3. Line a baking sheet with non-stick baking parchment.

2) Beat the egg whites in a clean bowl until stiff peaks have formed.

3) Tip in half the sugar and beat again until stiff peaks are formed once more. Using a metal spoon, deftly fold in the remaining sugar a spoonful at a time, followed by the almonds and rosewater.

4) Tip the meringue onto the lined sheet and spread it out quite roughly to a 20cm circle. Cook for 20 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 140C/Fan 120C/ Gas 1 and bake for a further 40 minutes. Let the meringue cool in the oven with the door ajar or on the side, as you wish.

5) Whip the cream, icing sugar and vanilla until soft peaks form. Lightly ripple through 2 tablespoons of the fruit sauce.

6) Place the meringue on a serving plate or stand and spoon the whipped cream liberally over the top.

7) Slice the strawberries in a random manner, mix with the berries and pile on top of the cream. Drizzle with some of the fruit sauce and serve any remaining sauce at the table.