Recipes

Heat oven to 140C/120C fan/gas 2 and cut a piece of baking parchment large enough to line your biggest baking sheet. Using a plate as a template, draw a circle roughly 28cm in diameter onto the parchment, then flip it over onto the baking sheet so the pencil marks don’t come into contact with the meringue.

Put the egg whites in a large, clean bowl and beat with an electric whisk until doubled in volume and holding soft peaks. Add the sugar 1 or 2 tbsp at a time, whisking continuously, until the meringue is stiff and shiny, and the sugar has been used up.

Dab a blob of meringue on each corner of the parchment to stick it to the baking sheet. Using the circle as a guide, spoon or pipe 10 mounds of meringue onto the parchment in a wreath shape. Create a little divot in the centre of each one with the back of a teaspoon. Bake for 1 hr 30 minutes, switch off the heat and leave in the oven to cool completely (overnight if you can).

To decorate the wreath, first whip the cream, sugar, vanilla and rum to soft peaks. SLIGHTLY UNDER WHIP AND FINISH BY HAND OTHERWISE YOU WILL CREATE SWEET BUTTER!! Pour the mango and passion fruit sauces over the top and briefly fold through to create a ripple effect.

Blob spoonfuls onto the meringue, or pipe “Mr.Whippy” style ice-cream swirls.

Arrange the fruit on the top to create a beautiful crown.

Finally, heat the sugar and water together, boil until the liquid thickens slightly- about 5 minutes. Add the cranberries and cook for 3 minutes, add the rosemary sprigs for 2 minutes, then remove from the heat.  Remove the rosemary sprigs with tongs onto a plate and dust with icing sugar, remove the cranberries (be careful not to over-cook, they will bust)!

Lean the sprigs around the outside of the meringue and stud the crown with the cranberries.

You can prepare all the elements the day before and then bring them together on the day, up to 4 hours before serving.  It’s a really delicious dessert that ticks all the boxes and the exotic fruit really bring something a little different from the usual fruits used in meringue desserts.  Enjoy!