Written By Catherine Parrott

Is it a mess if it’s as gorgeous as this?

I wrote this introduction before I had even decided on how this was going to be assembled. Is it arrogance or blind faith that I could just ‘figure it out’ mid-bake? Don’t answer that.

RECIPE:

FOR THE RASPBERRY MERINGUE  

  • 90g EGG WHITE (Approx. 3 Egg Whites)

  • 180g CASTER SUGAR

  • FREEZE DRIED RASPBERRIES - Blitzed to a fine powder (but maybe with some fun chunks because we’re fun)

FOR THE PEACH CUSTARD MOUSSE

  • 1 LEAF GELATINE

  • 375ml MILK (of choice)

  • 3 EGG YOLK S

  • 50g CASTER SUGAR

  • 4 RIPE PEACHES

  • 300ml DOUBLE CREAM

FOR THE RASPBERRY COULIS

  • 200g FRESH RASPBERRIES

  • 60g RUNNY HONEY

BEFORE YOU START…

  • Preheat your oven to 120c (for the meringue, so a lower oven temp is fine, it’ll just take longer to bake)

METHODS:

FOR THE RASPBERRY MERINGUE…

Whip the whites in a lovely clean bowl until starting to foam up and get thick.

Nervously shower the caster sugar over the foam, one tablespoon at a time, whisking to incorporate each inclusion. Once all the sugar is in continue whisking until you have a thick, solid shiny meringue.

Pipe into your desired shapes, or arty splodges are also well accepted in the meringue world, sprinkle over the freeze-dried  raspberries and bake for 1 hour at 120c. Leave in the oven as everything cools before removing and setting aside.

FOR THE PEACH CUSTARD MOUSSE…

Soften the gelatine by placing in a bowl of very cold water. After 5 minutes give it a squeeze, remove from the water and make the custard.

Heat the milk in a pan until steaming (you can be a total chef and multitask by heating it on a gentle heat while you whisk the yolks and sugar together in a bowl, or do it beforehand and choose peace)

Once the milk is steaming pour over the egg and sugar mixture and mix until smooth. Return to heat and cook gently until the custard coats the back of a spoon and has reached 82c. Add the softened gelatine and mix until dissolved. 

Peel, core and blitz your ripe peaches (or buy tinned) until smooth ( OR if you find your peaches aren’t that ripe, roast them in a low oven to break down and soften, cool completely before using) . Mix through the hot custard and set aside.

Whip the cream to soft peaks. Fold through the peach custard and decant into a bowl, cover with clingfilm and leave to set for 4 hours (overnight if you’re not pushed for time)

FOR THE RASPBERRY COULIS…

Blitz together the fresh raspberries and honey until smooth. Either serve with the seeds or pass through a sieve, or don’t it’s your life (You should make the coulis it’s well nice)

TO FINISH: Smash the meringue on a serving plate following a generous spoon of mousse and drizzle of coulis. *The meringues will keep for a month in an airtight container at room temperature and the mousse and coulis will keep for a few days in the fridge.

Catherine Parrott
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