Meringue, Rhubarb & Lemon Curd

A clever marriage of sweet & sour, soft & crisp, and each element is easier than you might think.  Meringues have a reputation for being tricky, but take your time, make sure your eggs are at room temperature and this impressive dessert will come together as the perfect pud.

Ingredients

For the meringue:

• 5 oz of egg white

• 10 oz of sugar

• 1.5 oz chopped & toasted almonds (optional)

For the rhubarb:

• 12 stems of rhubarb

• Sugar

• Lemon

• Orange

• Vanilla extract

For the lemon curd:

• 2 Lemons, juiced & zested

• 150g caster sugar

• 75g butter

• 2 large eggs

To serve:

• Vanilla ice cream

• Whipped cream

Method 

For the meringue:

1. Put the egg whites in the mixer and beat until soft peaks, slowly add in half of the sugar and continue to beat until the peaks are stiff and stand straight up. Fold in the rest of the sugar and the almonds if using.

2. Spoon out the meringues onto a tray lined with grease proof and bake at 110 of an hour.

3. Allow to cool completely.

For the rhubarb:

1. Chop the rhubarb into 2cm sticks and place them in a tray. Add two or three handfuls of sugar, depending on how sweet you want in, remembering the meringues and ice cream are both the real sweet elements.

2. Using a vegetable peeler, peel strips of orange and lemon onto the rhubarb and add the juice. Then add a tea spoon of the vanilla essence.

3. Cover with tin foil and bake at 150°c for 15 minutes or until soft yet still holding its shape.

For the lemon curd:

1. Zest the lemons into a bowl, add the juice, sugar and butter and warm over a pan of simmering water until the sugar is dissolved, taking care not to let it overheat.

2. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs and strain them through a fine sieve into the lemon mixture. Stir until well mixed and thickened, 80 ºC on a thermometer.

3. Pour into sterilized jars and seal immediately. Will store in a cool, dark place for 3-4 months, but refrigerate after opening.

To serve:

1. Put the meringue on the plate with a dot of cream underneath it to stop it from moving.

2. Spoon over the whipped cream.

3. Put the ice cream on top so that it settles in the cream.

4. Spoon over the lemon curd and then the rhubarb and finish with a few more chopped almonds.