Its Day 3 and today I am only bringing you one recipe I am afraid, but it is a delicious one and one that is bang in season now, today I bring you gorgeous blackcurrant meringues!!!
My fruit cage has been bursting with strawberries and now blackcurrant’s, I am a true believer in seasonal cooking and baking, and nothing makes me happier than being able to pick things from my garden or go for a good forage in the countryside, so while I have an abundance of these gorgeous little vitamin C packed beauties I may as well use them, firstly in todays recipe of blackcurrant meringues, but also in ice cream and of course a classic clafoutis .
I am not a fan of blackcurrant’s straight from the bush, they leave little bits in your teeth and even when they are at their ripest can still be a little tart, but cooked and turned into some delicious dessert they are just heavenly, just in colour alone they have the wow factor.
The blackcurrant puree stirred through the crisp white meringue was amazing and so vibrant and tastes so refreshing, the sweetness of the meringue, mingled with the tartness of the blackcurrant’s is a match made in heaven and has to be one of my favourite recipes so far, a real winner for the grown up’s.
However you decide to use your blackcurrant’s, fellow Foodie Tweeters have also suggested jam and wine, both great ideas, I hope you enjoy them and I hope that you are enjoying ‘Mad Meringue Week’, so far.
Buon appetito
200g blackcurrants
About 25g icing sugar
A little sunflower oil
2 medium egg whites
100g caster sugar
125ml double cream
Put the blackcurrants in a pan with 25ml water. Bring to a simmer and cook for five to 10 minutes, until soft and pulpy. Rub through a sieve, to remove the skins and pips, and while it’s still warm sift in 25g icing sugar and stir to dissolve. Taste – you want it to be pleasantly tart (the meringues are very sweet) – and add more icing sugar if necessary. Leave to cool completely.
Heat the oven to 120C/250F/gas mark ½.
Line a baking sheet with nonstick baking parchment.
Beat the egg whites until thick, white and holding firm peaks when you lift up the beaters. Keep beating, gradually adding the caster sugar a tablespoon at a time. Stop when all the sugar is incorporated and you have a very thick, glossy meringue that holds firm peaks. Add three tablespoons of the fruit puree to the mix and gently swirl it through to marble, keeping it nice and streaky.
Spoon the meringue on to the tray in eight equal blobs, trying to keep them round in shape and roughly the same size. Bake for an hour and a half, then remove and leave to cool completely. I always leave my meringues in the oven until the oven has completely cooled but it is entirely up to you.
To serve, carefully lift the meringues from the baking tray. Whip the double cream until it holds soft peaks, use to sandwich together pairs of meringues, and serve with more puree trickled around.
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