Recipes, re-invented from cooking shows
Strawberries, Meringue Kisses
Prep. Time:
Baking Time:
Total Time:
40 mins
1 hour 15 mins
2 hours 15 mins
Serves:
Serves 4
Adam created this dish for MasterChef UK ™ Series 22. A refined, spring-themed deconstruction of strawberries and cream, it plates macerated strawberries and glazed raspberries with vanilla cream, black-pepper French meringue kisses and shards, torched Italian meringue and a raspberry coulis. Grace...
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Ingredients
FOR THE MACERATED STRAWBERRIES: 300 g strawberries, hulled and quartered 1 tbsp caster sugar 1 tsp lemon juice
FOR THE VANILLA CREAM: 250 ml double cream, cold 1 vanilla pod, split and seeds scraped 1 tsp vanilla-bean paste 1 tbsp icing sugar
FOR THE BLACK-PEPPER FRENCH MERINGUE: 2 egg whites (about 60 g) 120 g caster sugar 1/2 tsp coarsely cracked black pepper
FOR THE TORCHED ITALIAN MERINGUE: 140 g caster sugar 60 ml water 2 egg whites (about 60 g)
FOR THE GLAZED RASPBERRIES: 150 g raspberries 1 tbsp redcurrant jelly, warmed, to glaze
FOR THE RASPBERRY COULIS: 120 g raspberries 1 tbsp caster sugar squeeze of lemon juice
EQUIPMENT: Electric whisk or stand mixer Piping bags with plain and fine nozzles 2 lined baking trays Sugar thermometer Blowtorch Fine-mesh sieve
Method
STEP 1: MACERATE THE STRAWBERRIES
Toss the quartered strawberries with the caster sugar and lemon juice. Set aside for at least 20 minutes so they soften and release their syrup; reserve the syrup for plating.
STEP 2: MAKE THE VANILLA CREAM
Gently warm the double cream with the split vanilla pod and scraped seeds until steaming but not boiling, then leave to infuse off the heat for 15–20 minutes and cool. Whisk in the vanilla-bean paste and icing sugar, then whip to soft peaks. The double hit of pod and paste, given time to bloom, makes the vanilla read clearly on the palate without adding sweetness.
STEP 3: BAKE THE BLACK-PEPPER FRENCH MERINGUE
Whisk the egg whites to soft peaks, then add the caster sugar a spoonful at a time to a stiff, glossy meringue. Fold through the cracked black pepper. Pipe small kisses and thin lines onto two lined baking trays and bake low, at 100°C (210°F), for 60–75 minutes until crisp and dry. Break the lines into shards. Keep the pepper assertive — its punch is the point of the dish.
STEP 4: MAKE THE TORCHED ITALIAN MERINGUE
Heat the caster sugar and water to 118°C (244°F) using a sugar thermometer. Whisk the egg whites to soft peaks, then pour the hot syrup down the side of the bowl in a steady stream, whisking to a stiff, glossy, cooled meringue. If the meringue splits or weeps, start again — it is worth it. Spoon or quenelle onto the plate and torch to a light gold with a blowtorch.
STEP 5: GLAZE THE RASPBERRIES AND MAKE THE COULIS
Brush half the raspberries with the warmed redcurrant jelly for shine. Blend the remaining raspberries with the caster sugar and a squeeze of lemon juice, then pass through a fine-mesh sieve to a smooth, vibrant coulis.
STEP 6: PLATE
Spoon the macerated strawberries and glazed raspberries across the plate. Add quenelles of vanilla cream and torched Italian meringue. Perch the black-pepper kisses and shards for height, streak the coulis, and finish with a little reserved strawberry syrup for a refined, upright plate.
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Instructions
FOR THE MACERATED STRAWBERRIES:
300 g strawberries, hulled and quartered
1 tbsp caster sugar
1 tsp lemon juice
FOR THE VANILLA CREAM:
250 ml double cream, cold
1 vanilla pod, split and seeds scraped
1 tsp vanilla-bean paste
1 tbsp icing sugar
FOR THE BLACK-PEPPER FRENCH MERINGUE:
2 egg whites (about 60 g)
120 g caster sugar
1/2 tsp coarsely cracked black pepper
FOR THE TORCHED ITALIAN MERINGUE:
140 g caster sugar
60 ml water
2 egg whites (about 60 g)
FOR THE GLAZED RASPBERRIES:
150 g raspberries
1 tbsp redcurrant jelly, warmed, to glaze
FOR THE RASPBERRY COULIS:
120 g raspberries
1 tbsp caster sugar
squeeze of lemon juice
EQUIPMENT:
Electric whisk or stand mixer
Piping bags with plain and fine nozzles
2 lined baking trays
Sugar thermometer
Blowtorch
Fine-mesh sieve
Heading 5
Ingredients
STEP 1: MACERATE THE STRAWBERRIES
Toss the quartered strawberries with the caster sugar and lemon juice. Set aside for at least 20 minutes so they soften and release their syrup; reserve the syrup for plating.
STEP 2: MAKE THE VANILLA CREAM
Gently warm the double cream with the split vanilla pod and scraped seeds until steaming but not boiling, then leave to infuse off the heat for 15–20 minutes and cool. Whisk in the vanilla-bean paste and icing sugar, then whip to soft peaks. The double hit of pod and paste, given time to bloom, makes the vanilla read clearly on the palate without adding sweetness.
STEP 3: BAKE THE BLACK-PEPPER FRENCH MERINGUE
Whisk the egg whites to soft peaks, then add the caster sugar a spoonful at a time to a stiff, glossy meringue. Fold through the cracked black pepper. Pipe small kisses and thin lines onto two lined baking trays and bake low, at 100°C (210°F), for 60–75 minutes until crisp and dry. Break the lines into shards. Keep the pepper assertive — its punch is the point of the dish.
STEP 4: MAKE THE TORCHED ITALIAN MERINGUE
Heat the caster sugar and water to 118°C (244°F) using a sugar thermometer. Whisk the egg whites to soft peaks, then pour the hot syrup down the side of the bowl in a steady stream, whisking to a stiff, glossy, cooled meringue. If the meringue splits or weeps, start again — it is worth it. Spoon or quenelle onto the plate and torch to a light gold with a blowtorch.
STEP 5: GLAZE THE RASPBERRIES AND MAKE THE COULIS
Brush half the raspberries with the warmed redcurrant jelly for shine. Blend the remaining raspberries with the caster sugar and a squeeze of lemon juice, then pass through a fine-mesh sieve to a smooth, vibrant coulis.
STEP 6: PLATE
Spoon the macerated strawberries and glazed raspberries across the plate. Add quenelles of vanilla cream and torched Italian meringue. Perch the black-pepper kisses and shards for height, streak the coulis, and finish with a little reserved strawberry syrup for a refined, upright plate.
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