Granny’s meringue cake, poached pears & cream
Across the world, almonds have been enjoyed as healthy snacks, tokens of good fortune, and in delicious desserts. At Thyme, we use almonds generously scattered across salads, as nutty bases to cakes and tarts, or as a topping to our famous Granny’s Meringue Cake.
Growing up, Granny would always make meringue cake and crème caramel for a special Sunday lunch. Maybe it sounds extravagant to have two puddings but they were always eaten. She made this particular combination so that no bit of egg was leftover. She was a stickler for not wasting anything, the egg whites are used in the meringue cake and the yolks in the crème caramel. Granny’s recipes for meringue cake and crème caramel were adapted from the original Cordon Bleu Monthly Cookery Course; my recipes are a bit different but are still essential for any special Sunday lunch.
Serves 4
4 egg whites
Approximately 150g-300g caster sugar
½ tsp cider or white wine vinegar
1 level tsp cornflour
To serve
Cream, gently whipped
Poached pears, see below, cut into quarters
A handful of blanched and toasted almonds (Valencia almonds are best), chopped
Preheat the oven to 100°C | 80°C fan | gas mark ¼.
In a mixer, beat the egg whites in a scrupulously cleanand dry bowl, until they form stiff peaks.
Bit by bit, begin to slowly pour in the sugar until the mix is stiff and glossy.
Then add the vinegar and the cornflour and beat it until it is incorporated (no more than 5-10 seconds).
Gently spoon the mixture onto an oven safe plate of your choice or a tray covered with a piece of bakingpaper and bake in the oven for an hour before taking it out of the oven and letting it cool completely.
Top it with whipped cream, poached pears and almonds.
POACHED PEARS
When the pears have been eaten, don’t discard the syrup. Cook more pears in the liquid, use it as a cordial ordrink with Champagne!
Serves 4
4 pears1 lemon, rind peeled into strips, juice reserved
500ml of white wine
500ml water
350g caster sugar
1 vanilla pod, split, seeds scraped out
3 bay leaves
10 black peppercorns
Peel the pears and add the lemon juice to prevent the pears from browning.
Put all ofthe ingredients exceptfor the pears into a pot.
Bring to a simmer and carefully drop the pears in.
Cut a round of baking paper andcover the pears so that they stay under the surface and allow them to gently soften.
Don’t let the liquid boil asthat willcause the pears to break apart.
After about 20 minutes, test the pears with a paring knife, they should be soft to the core but holding their shape.
Remove from the heat and allow to cool.
The Almond Blossom
Originally designed for our Greek Print collection, the Almond Blossom linens certainly transport you to warmer climbs. However, it is not only in the Mediterranean where almond trees thrive; if you walk through the nuttery at Thyme this weekend, you will see our almond trees in full bloom.
Almond trees have a rich history and tell a tale as old as time, mentioned in stories from Greek mythology to the bible. The delicious and nutrient rich nut has been deeply rooted in cultures and societies for centuries; from showering newlyweds with almonds in ancient Rome and providing explorers along the Silk Road with much needed sustenance to Van Gogh painting his famous Almond Blossoms in the 1800s.
The Almond Blossom is hand painted by our Founder and Creative Director, Caryn Hibbert, showering the table with soft petals that border the linens. Celebrating the beauty of our gardens, our original prints depict the botanicals that thrive at Thyme and readily welcome the outside into each of our homes.