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Meringue nests with limoncello cream, pomegranate sorbet, and golden confetti stars
Serves 8 Desserts and puddings
For the striped meringue nests
- 300g caster sugar
- 150g egg whites (from around 5 eggs)
- soft green paste food colouring, not gel (available from thevanillavalley.co.uk)
For the pomegranate sorbet (makes around 1 litre)
- 125g granulated sugar
- 1 litre freshly squeezed pomegranate juice
- 1-2tbsp good-quality pomegranate molasses (eg Odysea)
- 2 sheets gelatine (optional, but will help give a smoother texture)
- 1-2tbsp vodka (optional)
To serve
- 300ml double cream whipped with 2tbsp limoncello
- edible silver glitter or glitter flakes (available from thevanillavalley.co.uk)
- seeds 1-2 pomegranates, o decorate
- edible confetti stars, to decorate
You will need
- ice-cream machine
Method
First make the meringues. Preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6. Line a shallow roasting tin with baking paper, pour in the sugar and warm through for around 5 minutes until the edges just begin to melt. Warming helps the sugar to dissolve into the meringue more quickly. Remove from the oven and reduce the temperature to 110C/90C Fan/Gas 1⁄4.
Pour the weighed egg whites into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk. Whisk on low until frothy, then increase to high and continue whisking until stiff peaks form.
Remove the sugar from the oven. Whisk again on a high speed and add the sugar, one large spoonful at a time, ensuring that the whites come back to stiff peaks after each addition. Once all the sugar is added, continue to whisk for 5-7 minutes, until smooth, very stiff and shiny.
Line 2 large heavy baking sheets with baking paper. Place a small dab of meringue on each corner of each sheet and press paper on top to secure it.
To marble the meringue, turn a piping bag inside out and paint on 4-5 wavy stripes of food colouring. Turn the bag back so the painted side is inside, stand in a tall jug or vase and fold the top of the bag over the rim. Carefully spoon in the meringue mixture, avoiding air pockets. Snip off the tip of the piping bag to give a 1.5cm diameter and pipe 8 meringue nests onto the baking sheet (use any remaining meringue to pipe little meringue kisses).
Bake for around 45 minutes,
until the meringues can easily be
lifted off the baking paper. Allow
to cool completely. These will
keep for up to two weeks stored
in an airtight container.
To make the sorbet, put the sugar and 250ml of pomegranate juice in a saucepan. Heat over a low heat, stirring constantly until the sugar is dissolved. Soak the gelatine in cold water for a minute until soft, drain and stir into the warm liquid. Remove from heat, stir in the remaining pomegranate juice, molasses and vodka (if using), cool, then chill well.
Churn in a pre-cooled ice-cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions.
To store, quickly scrape into a chilled plastic freezer box. Cover with cling film pressed onto the surface, then snap on a lid. Label and freeze. Allow 10-15 minutes, chilled, to soften a bit before serving. The sorbet will lose its freshness if stored for too long – maximum 1 week.
To serve, fill each meringue nest with whipped limoncello cream and top with a scoop or ‘rocher’ of sorbet, sprinkle with pomegranate seeds and confetti stars.
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