Meringue Christmas tree

Serves 6 Desserts and puddings

Advertisement

Method

The meringues can be made and stored in an airtight container up to 2 weeks before assembling.

First make the striped meringues. Preheat the oven to 110C/240F/ Gas 1-2. Line 2 baking trays with baking paper. Whisk half the whites (90g) in a large, very clean bowl. When the beaters leave a pattern in the foam, add half the sugar a little at a time, whisking well between additions, until stiff. Secure the paper onto the oven trays at each corner with a little of the mix.

Take a piping bag fitted with a plain 1.5cm nozzle and using a clean paintbrush, paint the inside with 6mm x 5mm thick stripes with the pink food colouring. Start the stripes from the tip of the bag where it meets the piping nozzle to within 7cm of the top. Fill the bag with the meringue and pipe the mixture to create small pointed meringues about 2cm at the base and 3cm in height. Bake for 40 minutes, when ready they should lift off the paper easily. Loosen them all, but leave on the paper and transfer from the trays to a wire rack to get cold.

Repeat making the meringue mixture with the rest of the whites and sugar, but this time using the orange food colouring, following the same instructions using another piping bag with the same nozzle washed out and dried. This time pipe slightly larger shapes about 3cm at the base and 3.5cm in height. The quantity you get from each batch of colours will depend on the size you create, but any excess keep well for easy desserts with cream and fruit. Once cold, store the meringues carefully between sheets of baking paper in an airtight container. To make the star meringues, line a baking sheet with baking paper. Whisk the whites in a very clean bowl. When the beaters leave a pattern in the foam, start adding the sugar a little at a time, whisking well between each addition until stiff. Secure the paper onto the trays at each corner with a little of the mix. Fit a piping bag with a 1-1.5cm star-shaped nozzle and fill with meringue. Pipe stars onto the paper to measure 2cm at the base. Bake for 30 minutes, when ready they should lift off the paper easily. Loosen them all, but leave on the paper and transfer from the trays to a wire rack to get cold. Spray with a little edible gold.

For the meringue discs, preheat the oven to 110C/240F/Gas 1-2 and line 2 oven trays with baking paper. Whisk half the whites in a large, very clean bowl. When the beaters leave a pattern in the foam start adding half the sugar, a little at a time, whisking well between each addition until stiff. Secure the paper onto the trays at each corner with a little of the mix. Draw a few 6cm circles onto the baking paper (once you get the size, you can just freestyle the rest). Using a small palette knife, fill the circle with a thin layer of meringue. You need 21 circles and a rectangular tree trunk of about 6cm x 7.5cm. Bake for 30 minutes until crisp. Leave to cool for 5 minutes then remove very gently from the paper.

Repeat with the rest of the egg whites and sugar to make a further 21 discs and a tree trunk. Cool and store in an airtight container.

When ready to serve the festive tree, whip the cream until just holding a peak. Sandwich the discs and tree trunk together with cream (not too thick, you can use the remainder to serve) and lay them out as shown in the photograph. Decorate with the tinted and gold star meringues, redcurrants, raspberry pieces and pearl sugar.