Meringues with clotted cream and strawberries
Rick Stein shows how to make the ultimate meringue in this simple eight-step recipe.
Ingredients
- 6 egg whites, at room temperature
- 350g/12oz caster sugar
- 300ml/½ pint clotted cream
- 900g/2lb fresh small strawberries
Preparation method
- Preheat the oven to 150C/300F/Gas 2.
- Put the egg whites into a large clean bowl and add 110g/4oz of the sugar. Whisk together into soft peaks.
- Then, continuing to whisk, gradually add another 110g/4oz of sugar, a spoonful at a time, until the mixture forms stiff peaks.
- Gently fold in the remaining sugar.
Technique: Folding - Shape 20 large spoonfuls of the meringue onto 2 baking sheets lined with non-stick baking paper and bake in the oven for 15 minutes.
- Lower the oven temperature to 110C/225F/Gas ¼ and cook for a further 2-3 hours until very crisp and dry.
- Leave to cool, then store in an air tight tin.
Serve with the clotted cream and strawberries
Meringues with Chantilly cream and berries
Ingredients
- For the meringues
-
- 4 free-range eggs
- ½ tsp white wine vinegar
- 240g/8½oz caster sugar
- For the stock syrup
-
- 200ml/7fl oz water
- 225g/8oz caster sugar
- 5 cardamom pods, lightly crushed
- 1 cinnamon stick, broken
- 8 cloves
- 20 coriander seeds
- 2 star anise
- 1 blade mace
- For the berries
-
- 1 large handful strawberries
- 2 large handfuls raspberries
- 2 large handfuls blackberries
- 2 large handfuls blueberries
- For the Chantilly cream
-
- 284ml/10fl oz whipping cream
- 1 vanilla pod
- icing sugar, to taste
Preparation method
- Preheat the oven to 130C/265F/Gas 0.5.
- For the meringues, separate the egg yolks from the whites, setting the yolks aside to use for another recipe (such as creme brulee or custard).
- In a clean bowl, whisk the egg whites with an electric whisk until beginning to form peaks. Add the vinegar and continue to whisk.
- Add the sugar, a little at a time, whisking the eggs constantly, until all the sugar has been used up and the eggs are white, stiff and glossy. As a rule use 60g/2½oz sugar per medium egg white used.
- Prepare a baking tray by lining it with non-stick baking parchment. Spoon out healthy dollops of the meringue mixture at widely spaced intervals onto the paper. Place the meringues into the oven to bake for at least two hours. When cooked, cool on a wire rack. (Store the meringues in an airtight container if you're not using them straightaway.)
- While the meringues are cooking, prepare the berries. First make a stock syrup. Place the water and caster sugar into a heavy-based pan. Add the spices and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10-12 minutes.
- For the berries, hull the strawberries and cut them in half. Place them in a heatproof bowl. Place each of the other types of berry (raspberries, blackberries and blueberries) into separate heatproof bowls. Pour the hot stock syrup (and spices) directly over the berries in their bowls.
- Cover with cling film and poke air holes in the top of each to allow the steam to escape as the berries lightly cook. Allow to cool, then place in the fridge.
- For the Chantilly cream, place the cream into a bowl. Cut the vanilla pod in half lengthways with a sharp knife and scrape out the seeds. Add the seeds to the cream.
- Whip the cream until it forms soft peaks. Add icing sugar, to taste, and mix in gently.
- To serve, spoon some of the berries and spices into each serving bowl. Spread some of the Chantilly cream onto the flat side of a meringue and place, cream-side up, on top of the berries. Place another meringue on top, making a 'sandwich'. Spoon some juice from the berries around and serve.
Caramelised oranges with honeyed ricotta
Ingredients
-
- 6-8 large oranges
- 250g/9oz white caster sugar or granulated sugar
- 200ml/7fl oz hot water
- For the honeyed ricotta
-
- 400g/14oz ricotta
- 1 tbsp runny honey
- icing sugar (optional)
- 50g/2oz flaked almonds, lightly toasted on a baking sheet in a moderate oven for ten minutes
Preparation method
- Pare the zest from two oranges and cut into very fine shreds (or use a zester). Set aside.
- Peel all the oranges by cutting the skin and white pith away, to reveal the naked orange flesh.
- Using a small, very sharp knife, cut the first segment out of the orange, sliding the knife down between its fine papery skin and its flesh on either side, then easing it out. Carry on working your way around the orange, cutting out the segments.
- Put the segments and any juice from the oranges into a shallow serving bowl. Repeat the process with the remaining oranges until all are segmented.
- Heat a small pan of water until boiling. When boiling, drop the orange zest into the water, simmer for two minutes then drain well through a sieve into a small bowl. Set aside.
- Heat a wide, heavy-based pan (preferably one with a pale-coloured bottom) over a moderate heat. Add the sugar and leave for a few minutes, keeping a careful eye over it, until the sugar begins to melt. Don't stir. Restrain yourself and do no more than tip and tilt the pan to get the sugar to melt evenly.
- Once the sugar is liquid, let it bubble gently, then more strongly, until it begins to brown (this may take as little as 2-3 minutes), still tilting and swirling the pan occasionally.
- Once the sugar has caramelised to a hazelnut brown, pour the measured hot water into the pan. Do this at arm's length, wearing an oven glove. Be very careful, as the caramel will spit and hiss when you first add the water.
- Swirl and stir the caramel syrup and turn the heat to low. Drop in the blanched shreds of orange zest and leave to simmer for 5-10 minutes, until the zest is translucent. You may need to add a bit more water if the caramel thickens too much.
- Pour the hot syrup and shreds over the orange segments and leave to cool.
Technique: Segmenting citrus fruit - Meanwhile, make the honeyed ricotta. In a clean bowl, beat the ricotta with the honey, then taste. If you'd like it sweeter add either a little icing sugar, if the honey has a strong flavour, or a little more honey if it's mild. Fold two-thirds of the almonds into the mixture and scatter the rest on top.
- Serve the caramelised oranges with the honeyed ricotta on the side.
Mayonnaise
Paul Merrett shows how to make creamy homemade mayonnaise either by hand or with a food processor. Treat yourself – it’s easier than you think.
Ingredients
- 4 free-range egg yolks
- 2 tsp ready-prepared English mustard
- 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
- 570ml/1 pint vegetable oil
- sea salt and freshly ground white pepper
Preparation method
- Separate the egg yolks from the egg whites. The whites aren't required for this dish, so you can use them for another dish or freeze for later use.
Technique: Separating eggs - If making the mayonnaise by hand, place the egg yolks in a large, clean bowl. Place a damp cloth under the bowl to secure it.
- Add the mustard and vinegar. Whisk with a balloon whisk to blend. Add a very small amount of the oil and whisk until it's well blended in. Add a little more oil and whisk again.
- Continue adding the oil, whisking thoroughly between each addition, until the sauce emulsifies and thickens after a few minutes. Stop adding the oil when the mayonnaise has reached the desired consistency (you may not need to use all the oil). If the mayonnaise is too thick, you can thin it with a little bit of warm water.
- Adjust the flavouring by adding more vinegar or mustard, if desired, and season with sea salt and white pepper.
- If using a food processor, place the egg yolks into the bowl of a processor, or in a mini-food processor. Add the vinegar, salt and pepper and the mustard. Pulse once or twice to blend.
- Turn the processor on and, with the motor running, add the oil in a thin, steady stream through the top of the lid. After a minute or two, the mixture will change consistency as you blend and will emulsify into a thick, rich sauce. Stop adding oil when the mayonnaise has reached the desired consistency (you may not need to use all the oil). If the mayonnaise is too thick, you can thin with a little bit of water.
- Taste, adjust the flavouring by adding more vinegar or mustard, if desired, and season with a little more sea salt and white pepper to taste.
- The mayonnaise can be served at once or kept in the fridge for up to a day.
Hollandaise sauce
Hollandaise sauce is an emulsion of egg yolks, a vinegar reduction and hot melted butter. It's the basic sauce from which other sauces, such as béarnaise and mousseline, are made and is traditionally served with fish that's been cooked in a court-bouillon, or with boiled or steamed vegetables. Hollandaise sauce is used in eggs Benedict.
Coulis
A smooth, thick sauce usually made by puréeing and sieving a fruit or vegetable. All kinds of fruits or vegetables can be made into coulis, but common types are raspberry, apricot or red pepper. Coulis are usually drizzled over desserts or savoury dishes, but they can also be used in sauces to enhance their flavour.
Lemon cheesecake with ginger cream
Lemon and ginger are a perfect combination in these individual cheesecakes served with summer fruits.
Ingredients
- For the cheesecake
-
- 50g/2oz digestive biscuits
- 50g/2oz ginger biscuits (ginger nuts)
- 50g/2oz butter
- 200g/7oz full-fat cream cheese
- 200g/7oz condensed milk
- 2 large (or 3 small) lemons
- For the strawberries
-
- 200g/7oz strawberries, hulls removed, cut in half
- handful mint leaves, finely chopped
- 1 heaped tsp icing sugar, sifted
- squeeze lemon juice
- 1 dessertspoon blueberry and vanilla-flavoured balsamic vinegar, or other balsamic vinegar (optional)
- For the raspberry coulis
-
- 150g/5oz raspberries
- 1 tbsp caster sugar
- For the ginger cream
-
- 150ml/¼ pint double cream
- 2 pieces stem ginger in syrup (from a jar), finely chopped, plus 1 tbsp of the syrup
Preparation method
- For the cheesecake, place the digestive and ginger biscuits into a plastic food bag and crush with a rolling pin.
- Melt the butter in a pan over a low heat. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the biscuit crumbs, mixing well.
- Place one chefs’ ring onto each serving plates. Divide the biscuit mixture equally between the two chefs’ rings and press down to make a base about 1cm/½in thick. Chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
- Whisk the cream cheese and condensed milk together until smooth using an electric whisk.
- Remove a strip of lemon peel from one of the lemons and set aside for decoration. Finely grate or zest the remaining lemon and stir it to the cheese mixture.
- Squeeze the juice from the lemons and add to the mixture, removing any pips. Beat well until the mixture has thickened.
- Pour the cheese mixture into the chefs’ rings to top the cheesecake and return to the fridge to chill and set.
- Meanwhile, for the strawberries, mix together all of the strawberries ingredients until well combined. Set aside to allow the flavours to combine.
- For the raspberry coulis, mix together the raspberries, caster sugar and a splash of water (if necessary) in a pan and bring the mixture to a simmer. Continue to simmer until the fruit has broken down. Strain the mixture through a sieve to remove the seeds, then chill the strained coulis in the fridge.
- For the ginger cream, whip the cream until stiff peaks form when the whisk is removed. Fold in the chopped stem ginger and syrup.
- To serve, dip a knife into boiling water and run it around the inside of each chefs’ ring to loosen the cheesecakes. Remove the chefs’ rings. Cut two fine strips off the reserved piece of lemon peel. Tie each in a knot and garnish the top of each cheesecake with it. Pile the strawberries alongside, with a dollop of the ginger cream. Drizzle the raspberry coulis around the edge of the plates.
Chocolate terrine with raspberry coulis
Indulge your family or guests with this impressive, very chocolatey posh dessert that can be made in advance.
Ingredients
- For the chocolate terrine
-
- 600g/1lb 5oz dark chocolate, broken into small pieces
- 225ml/8fl oz whipping cream
- 325g/11½oz unsalted butter, melted
- 6 free-range egg yolks
- 85g/3oz icing sugar, sifted
- 6 tbsp orange liqueur, such as triple sec
- For the raspberry coulis
-
- 250g/9oz raspberries
- 1 tbsp icing sugar
- ½ lemon, juice only, or to taste
Preparation method
- For the chocolate terrine, line the base and sides of a loaf tin with cling film, making sure the cling film is pushed into all the corners.
- Put the chocolate and cream into a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water. (Do not allow the base of the bowl to touch the water.) Stir until the chocolate has melted and you have a smooth, glossy mixture, then gradually whisk in the melted butter. Keep warm.
- Put the egg yolks, icing sugar and orange liqueur into another large heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of boiling water. (Do not allow the base of the bowl to touch the water.) Beat vigorously with a balloon whisk for about five minutes, or until the mixture is thick, pale and has reached the ribbon stage (the mixture should leave a 'ribbon' trail on the surface of the mixture for a few seconds when drizzled off the whisk) .
- Gradually add the warm chocolate mixture to the egg yolk mixture, whisking well until combined.
- Pour the chocolate mixture into the prepared loaf tin. Knock the sides of the tin to release any air bubbles then set aside to cool. When cool, cover with cling film and chill in the fridge to firm up for several hours or overnight.
- Meanwhile, for the raspberry coulis, tip all of the coulis ingredients into a frying pan and heat until the raspberries start to break down. Transfer to a food processor and blend until smooth, then pass through a sieve to remove the pips. Set aside until ready to serve.
- To serve, turn the terrine out of the tin, remove the cling film and cut into thick slices. Serve with the raspberry coulis.
Gingerbread cake with orange icing
This rich, treacly gingerbread is addictively good. Try making it as an alternative to a traditional Christmas cake.
Ingredients
- For the cake
-
- 225g/8oz butter, softened
- 225g/8oz light muscovado sugar
- 225g/8oz golden syrup
- 225g/8oz black treacle
- 225g/8oz self-raising flour, sifted
- 225g/8oz wholemeal self-raising flour, sifted
- 4 tsp ground ginger
- 2 tbsp stem ginger (from a jar), chopped
- 2 free-range eggs, beaten
- 300ml/10½fl oz milk
- For the orange icing
-
- 150g/5oz icing sugar
- 1 orange, juice and zest
Preparation method
- Line a 23cm/9in square cake tin at least 4cm/1½in deep with baking parchment.
- Preheat the oven to 160C/325F/Gas 3.
- Place the butter, sugar, golden syrup and black treacle into a pan and heat gently until the mixture has melted evenly. Set aside to cool slightly.
- Sift the flours, ground ginger and stem ginger into a large mixing bowl and mix gently. Pour the cooled butter mixture into the flour. Add the eggs and milk and beat with a wooden spoon until well combined.
- Pour the cake batter into the tin and level the surface with a palette knife or the back of a spoon. Bake for 50 minutes, or until the cake has risen and is golden-brown and a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean. Set aside to cool slightly in the tin, then transfer the cake to a wire rack and set aside to cool completely.
- Meanwhile, for the orange icing, sift the icing sugar into a bowl. Add about two tablespoons of the orange juice and mix to a smooth paste. Add more orange juice, as necessary, until you get a smooth icing of the consistency you desire.
- Pour the icing over the cooled cake and spread lightly, allowing it to ooze over the edges. Sprinkle over chopped orange zest and set the cake aside until the icing has set.
Eton mess
Ingredients
- 500g/1lb 2oz strawberries, hulls removed
- 400ml/14fl oz double cream
- 3 x 7.5cm/3in ready-made meringue nests, crushed
- 1 tbsp ginger cordial
- sprigs of fresh mint, to garnish
Preparation method
- Purée half the strawberries in a blender. Chop the remaining strawberries, reserving four for decoration.
- Whip the double cream until stiff peaks form, then fold in the strawberry purée and crushed meringue. Fold in the chopped strawberries and ginger cordial.
- Spoon equal amounts of the mixture into four cold wine glasses. Serve garnished with the remaining strawberries and a sprig of mint.
Eton mess
Ingredients
-
- 150ml/¼pint/5fl oz pint double cream, whipped
- 2 tbsp icing sugar
- ½ tub ricotta cheese
- 100g/4oz ready-made macaroons
- handful ready-made fresh fruit salad
- For the garnish
-
- chocolate, grated
Preparation method
- Mix the whipped cream, icing sugar and ricotta together.
- To serve, place a spoonful of cheese/cream mixture into a tall glass, then top with some macaroons and then some fruit. Repeat this layering process until the glass is full.
- Garnish with the grated chocolate and serve.
Banana Eton mess with butterscotch sauce
Ingredients
- For the meringues
-
- 3 free-range egg whites
- 150g/5½oz caster sugar
- ½ tsp sherry vinegar
- 150ml/5½fl oz double cream
- 150ml/5½fl oz crème fraîche
- 4 bananas, peeled, sliced
- For the butterscotch sauce
-
- 100g/3½oz soft dark brown sugar
- 100g/3½oz unsalted butter
- 100ml/3½fl oz double cream
- 1 tbsp dark rum
Preparation method
- Preheat oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.
- In a bowl, whisk the egg whites until soft peaks form when the whisk is removed. Gradually add the sugar, one tablespoon at a time, until the mixture is glossy and stiff peaks form when the whisk is removed.
- Carefully fold in the vinegar with a metal spoon until well combined.
- Line a baking tray with greaseproof paper and spoon dollops of the meringue mixture onto it, making sure they are well spaced out.
- Transfer the meringues to the oven and immediately turn down the heat to 150C/300F/Gas 2. Bake for about 45 minutes, or until the meringues are crisp on the outside but still chewy in the middle. Set aside on a wire rack to cool.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the cream and crème fraîche together until soft peaks form when the whisk is removed.
- Add half of the banana slices and mix until well combined.
- Place the cooled meringues onto a clean work surface and cover with a sheet of cling film. Break them up using a toffee hammer or rolling pin. Stir half of the broken meringues into the cream mixture.
- For the butterscotch sauce, bring the butterscotch sauce ingredients to the boil, then stir slowly until well combined. Set aside to cool.
- To serve, spoon the banana cream mixture into the bottom of four to six cocktail glasses, then sprinkle over some of the reserved meringue mixture. Add a layer of banana slices, then drizzle over a little butterscotch sauce. Repeat the process with the remaining ingredients, reserving some of the butterscotch sauce to top. Garnish each Eton mess with the remaining banana slices and a drizzle of the reserved butterscotch sauce.
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