By Stuart Pate, The Seafood Restaurant, Padstow.
Stuart Pate’s smashed liquorice meringues with berries and chocolate cream
Ingredients
- 4 egg whites
- Pinch of salt
- 200g caster sugar
- 1-2½ tsp liquorice powder
- ½ tsp black food colouring
- 500ml double cream
- 225g chocolate - 200g chopped 25g for shavings
- 150g fresh raspberries
- 100g fresh redcurrants
Method
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Heat the oven to 100ºC gas ¼. Line a baking sheet with baking parchment.
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Place the egg whites and salt in a large metal bowl and, using an electric whisk, begin whisking on medium speed. When you reach soft floppy peak stage, add a third of the sugar and the liquorice powder. Keep whisking, and when incorporated add another third, then the final third, and bring together to a fairly stiff glossy mixture. If using food colouring, stir through to give a marble effect.
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Dollop the mixture into piles on the lined baking sheet. Bake for about 1½ to 2 hours or until dry and crisp. Remove and cool. Store in an air tight tin if not using immediately
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Make a ganache. Scald 200ml of the double cream in a pan (bring just to the boil then take immediately off the heat) and pour it over the chopped chocolate in a bowl. Stir until the cream has melted. Allow to cool to room temperature; do not refrigerate.
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When you are ready to serve, use a balloon whisk or electric beater to incorporate the remaining cream into the ganache. It tends to stiffen when left to stand, so make last minute for a light mousse-like texture.
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To serve, dollop the chocolate cream along the centre of a large oval platter. Break up the meringues and scatter them over the top, along with the raspberries and redcurrants. Finish with chocolate shavings.