ICED GINGER MERINGUE
Just as my ginger cake has a feisty hit of ginger , so too does this frozen delight . I love it for its sheer simplicity ; all you need is meringues , whipped cream , a good measure of ginger , some orange zest and a deepfreeze . Served with a salad of minted tropical fruit , it is ideal for a celebratory luncheon in the garden . You can also wrap it in ice packs , pop it in a cooler box and impress family and friends by producing it at a picnic .
Ingredients
YOU WILL NEED : One medium baking tray . One 600ml / 1 pint china pudding basin and one large baking sheet lined with non- stick baking parchment .
FOR THE MERINGUES : 2 free-range egg whites 90g / 3oz golden caster sugar ( 6 Tbsp ) 30g / 1oz demerara sugar ( 2 Tbsp ) FOR THE GINGER CREAM : 300ml / 1¼ cup double cream Zest of 1 un-waxed lemon Zest of 1 orange 3 pieces stem ginger 30g / 1oz crystallised ginger
FOR THE MINTED PINEAPPLE SALAD : 1 small , sweet pineapple 2 passion fruit A handful of mint leaves
Method
1 . Make the meringues : Preheat the oven to 130 º C / 250 º F . Whisk the egg whites until stiff . Add the sugar slowly while continuing to whisk , to yield a firm and glossy meringue .
2 . Spoon the meringue into 10 mounds on the baking tray and sprinkle with the demerara sugar . Bake for 1 hour if they are not crisp after this time , then cook for a little longer . Once cooked , turn off the oven and leave them in while it cools down .
3 . Line the pudding basin with cling film and put it in the freezer to chill .
4 . Whip the cream until it stands in soft peaks . Don ’ t over whip it or you will spoil the texture of the frozen dessert .
5 . Crush the meringues roughly and mix them into the cream . Finely grate the citrus zest , stem ginger and crystallised ginger into the cream and mix together .
6 . Spoon the mixture into the pudding basin and pack down well . Cover and freeze for 3 – 4 hours .
7 . Dice the pineapple and combine it with the passion fruit and mint leaves .
8 . To serve , turn out the iced meringue onto a plate and accompany it with the fruit salad .
Carolyn Robb , co-founder of The Royal Touch , was formerly Executive Chef to TRH Prince Charles and the late Princess Diana for over a decade and also served other members of the Royal Family . Carolyn ’ s cookbook The Royal Touch is a beautiful compilation of stunning recipes gathered from far and wide on an incredible culinary journey . Inspired by everything from her mother ’ s home-cooking , memories of her happy childhood in South Africa and her extensive travels to the extraordinary experiences of 13 years as a chef in the royal household , Carolyn ’ s recipes are simple to prepare and perfect to share . www . society . qa 53