Recipes

This recipe was created by Adam Byatt and comes courtesy of the charity WaterAid which works to improve access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene in 26 countries throughout Africa, Asia and the Pacific region.

"This dish does not stem from a love of meringue; it’s more a fruit thing for
me, and I use strawberries, raspberries and blueberries in the same way. Buy
second-class fruit if you can – it’s cheaper and the fruits tend to be riper.
Covering the fruit with icing sugar before baking allows it to slowly stew
without discolouring, and the juice produced by this method can also be used
to make great cocktails, jellies or syrups."

Serves 6

    600g fresh English cherries
    300g icing sugar, plus extra for
    dusting
    8g leaf gelatine
    6 egg whites
    200ml double cream, to serve

Preparation

Remove the stones from 500g of the cherries, reserving 100g
of whole cherries for the decoration at the end.

Line a deep 30cm by 20cm baking tray with parchment paper.

Preheat the oven to 170°C/150°C fan/gas 3.

Method

Place the pitted cherries in a baking tray, sprinkle over half the
icing sugar and bake for 40 minutes, until the cherries are soft.
Remove from the oven and strain the juice from the cherries
into a bowl.

Turn the oven up to 220°C/200°C fan/gas 7.

Soak the gelatine leaves in a bowl of cold water until they are
soft, about 10 minutes. Lift out and squeeze the leaves, then
add them to the warm cherry juice and stir until dissolved.
Refrigerate until set.

Tip the baked cherries into a blender and blend to a smooth
purée. Transfer to a bowl and chill in the fridge until serving
time.

Put the egg whites into a bowl and whisk with an electric mixer
until thickened. Add the remaining icing sugar and continue
whisking to a meringue that is firm enough to hold a ribbon
trail when the mixer is lifted.

Using a palette knife or spatula, spread the meringue evenly
over the lined tray to a thickness of about 3cm, keeping it
textured on top. Place the tray in the oven, close the door and
immediately turn the oven off. Leave the meringue in the oven
for 6–8 hours (this is best done last thing at night so that it is
ready when you wake up).

To serve, lightly whisk the cream. Spoon the crisp but chewy
meringue on to individual plates and layer with the cream,
cherry jelly and cherry purée. Decorate with the reserved
whole cherries and dust with icing sugar.

Recipe Tips

The cherry purée can be added to bought vanilla ice cream to make cherry ripple ice cream. Clotted cream can be used instead of double.

Photography copyright of Klaus-Maria Einwanger