This delicious summer dessert laden with tropical fruits is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser for any dinner party or barbecue.
The meringue base can be made up to two days in advance, just store it in an airtight container.
Ingredients
For the meringue
- 5 eggs, whites only
- 300g caster sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp white wine vinegar
- 1 tsp cornflour
- 25g desiccated coconut
To serve
- 300ml double cream
- 100ml creme fraiche
- 100g caster sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Selection of your favourite tropical fruits
Method
- Begin by heating your oven to 140°C / 120°C Fan / Gas Mark 1.
- Separate the egg whites into a bowl and add the sugar. Whisk them together for about 10 minutes until you have stiffy, glossy peaks.
- Combine the vanilla, vinegar and cornflour together in a separate bowl until smooth, and then fold this into the eggs along with the coconut.
- Place a piece of baking parchment on a baking sheet, and spoon the meringue mix over it, smoothing out to form a circle about 20-25cm wide, swirling with a knife to make peaks around the edges.
- Cook for 1 hour until the meringue is crisp and ever so slightly browned. Turn off the oven, leaving the meringue inside to cool. Once fully cool, remove from the oven and peel off the paper.
- To serve, whip up the cream, creme fraiche, sugar and vanilla extract together until soft peaks form. Spread this over the centre of the meringue, top with your chosen fruits and serve.
Lead image: Roxiller via Getty images.