Honey Parfait With Meringue And Pistachios Food

RASPBERRY & PISTACHIO PARFAIT

Steps:

• Grease a 900g loaf tin with oil, then line with baking parchment. To make the purée, blitz the raspberries to a pulp in a blender, then pass through a fine sieve into a saucepan. Gently reduce the purée on a low heat for 30 mins, stirring occasionally, until the colour has intensified and the purée has reduced to about 200ml. Remove from the heat and leave to cool.
• While the purée cools, put the egg yolks and sugar in a glass bowl and whisk over a pan of simmering water for 10 mins until the eggs are pale, thick and doubled in volume. Set aside.
• Next, put the sugar for the meringue in a saucepan with 2 tbsp water and heat until the syrup reaches 120C on a thermometer. While the sugar is coming up to temperature, use a mixer or electric whisk, to whisk the egg whites on the lowest setting. Once the sugar has reached 120C, carefully pour onto the egg whites and turn the mixer or electric whisk up, continuing to whisk until the whites are cool.
• Next, in a clean bowl, whisk the cream until it has soft peaks. Add the purée and chopped pistachios, then fold in the yolks. Once combined, fold in half the whites. Add the raspberries with the remaining whites, gently fold together, then pour into the lined loaf tin. Put in the freezer overnight.
• The next day, remove the parfait from the tin. Cover it completely in the blitzed pistachios, then place on a tray, cover in cling film and return it to the freezer. When you're ready to serve, slice the parfait and serve with a few fresh raspberries.

HONEYED PEACH & PISTACHIO PAVLOVA

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. Using a 20cm plate or cake tin as a template, draw a circle on a large sheet of baking parchment, flip it over and place on a large baking tray. When ready, dot a blob of raw meringue onto each corner of the baking tray and put the baking parchment on top - this way it won't slip.
• In a well-cleaned, grease-free bowl, whisk the egg whites with an electric hand whisk until they form stiff peaks. Add the caster sugar, 1 tbsp at a time, continuing to whisk as you go. The meringue will start to get thick and glossy. Add the brown sugar in the same way, continue whisking for another 1-2 mins until really thick and holding stiff, shiny peaks on the end of your whisk. Now add the cornflour and vinegar, and give a final whisk until smooth.
• Using a large metal spoon, pile the meringue onto the parchment-lined tray, using the circle template as a guide to create a symmetrical circle. Use the spoon to make a dip in the middle (this will hold your cream and fruit later) and a few spikes of meringue around the edges. Place in the centre of the oven, shut the door and immediately turn the temperature down to 140C/120C fan/gas 1. Cook the meringue for 1 hr 10 mins, then turn the oven off and leave until completely cold (best done overnight).
• For the topping, put the 100ml honey in a wide frying pan and heat until saucy. Add the peach slices and cook for 1-2 mins on each side, over quite a high heat, until the peaches are sticky but still holding their shape. Cool completely.
• Just before you are ready to serve, assemble the pavlova. Tip the cream, vanilla and remaining honey into a bowl. Whisk until it just holds soft peaks, then add the yogurt and, using a spatula, fold together until combined. Spoon the cream into the centre of the meringue and swirl it out towards the edges. Top with the sticky peaches and any saucy bits from the pan, and sprinkle over the pistachios.

SALTED PISTACHIO MERINGUES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400˚ F. Arrange two racks evenly spaced in the oven.
• Line a sheet pan with parchment paper and spread the sugar so it's a perfectly even thickness on the paper right to the edge of the sugar, leaving a border on the paper so the sugar doesn't spill onto the pan. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until the edges start to brown lightly. Watch carefully! Lower the oven to 250˚ F.
• Meanwhile, place the egg whites in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Just before the sugar is ready, whisk the egg whites on high speed for 1 minute, until frothy. With the mixer on low, slowly add the hot sugar to the egg whites. (I use a large spoon at first, then pick up the paper and pour the sugar in slowly.) Add the vanilla and continue to whisk on high for 10 minutes, until the egg whites are room temperature. (The bowl may still be warm.) The meringue will be very thick and glossy.
• Using two large serving spoons, scoop 6 very large, messy oval dollops of meringue onto each of two sheet pans lined with parchment paper, spacing them out because they will expand while they bake. Sprinkle the pistachios on top and bake for 1 1/2 to 2 hours (make sure your oven isn't above 250˚ F!), until the outsides of the meringues are crisp but not browned and the centers are still soft. Sprinkle with the fleur de sel and set aside to cool.

HONEY PARFAIT WITH MERINGUE AND PISTACHIOS

Steps:

• Line a 9 x 5 loaf pan with parchment paper with paper extending over the sides.
• Put pistachios and sugar in medium non stick skillet. Cook on medium heat stirring occasionally until sugar melts and turns brown.
• Pour from pan onto sheet of parchment paper. Cool to room temperature. Chop.
• In a large bowl, beat cream with an electric mixer on medium-high until stiff peaks form.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together egg yolks and honey.
• In another medium bowl, beat egg whites with an electric mixer on medium-high until stiff peaks form.
• With a rubber spatula, gently fold yolk mixture into cream.
• Gently fold egg whites into mixture.
• Gently fold pistachios into mixture.
• Pour half the mixture into prepared pan.
• Arrange meringue on top in a single layer, breaking some into chunks to fit.
• Spoon remaining mixture over meringues.
• Smooth top.
• Cover tightly with plastic wrap.
• Freeze until firm, at least 8 hours or overnight.
• To serve, loosen edges with knife and remove from loaf pan using parchment sling.
• Slice or dish out into glasses using an ice cream scoop.
• Enjoy!

PISTACHIO MERINGUES WITH SUMMER BERRIES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 140C/fan 120C/gas 1. Line a baking tray with baking parchment. Place the pistachio nuts into a shallow roasting tin and toast in the oven for about 7-10 mins until golden. Place in a food processor and blitz until coarsely ground.
• Blend the cornflour and vinegar to a paste. In a large clean bowl, whisk the egg whites until they form soft peaks, then gradually add the sugar a tbsp at a time until it forms a stiff glossy mixture.
• Fold most of the pistachios into the meringue, reserving about 2 tbsp. Finally stir through the cornflour mixture. Spoon the mixture onto the baking tray to make four large meringue nests, using the back of the spoon to hollow out the centres. Sprinkle with the reserved pistachios and bake for about 45 mins until firm and crisp on the outside. Turn off the oven, but leave the meringues in to dry out in the warmth until completely cold.
• To serve, place a meringue on each plate and spoon a little crème fraîche into the middle. Sprinkle over the seasonal berries and serve.

LEMON MERINGUE PARFAIT

Steps:

• Line a 20cm round tin, preferably loose-based, with cling film, using more than one piece if necessary to cover the bottom and up the sides, and pop in the freezer.
• Roughly break up the meringues with your fingers into a bowl, aiming for nothing bigger than a golf ball.
• Put the cream and sugar in a large bowl and whisk until starting to stiffen. Stop when it looks floppy, like Greek yogurt.
• Grate over the lemon zest and sprinkle over the gin and meringue rubble. Use a large spoon or spatula to fold the cream up, over and round, until just combined.
• Stir the lemon curd so it's gloopy rather than firm; if it remains too thick, dilute with a tsp of gin. Dollop over the surface of the cream. Take your spoon and fold it in, turning the bowl as you do so - no more than a dozen folds, so the curd forms streaks. Spoon gently into the tin and freeze for at least four hours. Once firm, cover with cling film.
• About 10-20 mins before serving, remove the parfait from the freezer, invert onto a plate, peel away the cling film, and return right-side-up, at room temperature. Serve in wedges with lemon curd drizzled over and the fruit on the side.