Super-sweet meringue tempered by bitter, aromatic coffee and spiced up with tart, fragrant blackcurrants: this is such a winning combination. A dollop of smooth cream wraps it all up nicely.
Serves 4
For the coffee meringue
2 egg whites
100g caster sugar
1 tablespoon very strong espresso coffee (or use 1 tablespoon instant coffee dissolved in 1 tablespoon boiling water)
For the blackcurrant sauce
500g blackcurrants
About 75g icing sugar, to taste
To serve
125ml double cream
Preheat the oven to 120oC/Gas ½. Line a large baking sheet with baking parchment.
Put the egg whites in a clean bowl and whisk with an electric whisk until they hold soft peaks. Start adding the sugar, a couple of spoonfuls at a time, whisking well after each addition. The mixture will become thick and shiny. Keep whisking until the meringue holds firm peaks and is so thick that you can turn the bowl upside down without anything sliding out. Carefully fold in the coffee, leaving it very slightly streaky if you like.
Spoon the meringue on to the lined baking sheet in 8 equal blobs, spacing them apart and shaping as well as you can into neat, even swirls. Place in the oven for 1½–1¾ hours, until the meringues are light and crisp on the outside and can be lifted off the paper easily (they should still be a touch gooey in the middle). Remove to a wire rack and leave to cool completely.
Meanwhile, for the sauce, put the blackcurrants into a pan with 50ml water and cook until soft – 10 minutes or so. Rub through a sieve into a bowl, using a wooden spoon. If the purée seems very thick, add a little more water. Sweeten to taste with icing sugar, then chill until needed.
When you’re ready to serve, whip the cream until it holds soft peaks. Sandwich the meringues together in pairs with spoonfuls of cream and place on serving plates. Spoon over some of the blackcurrant sauce and serve the rest in a jug on the side.
SWAPS Any good meringues, homemade or bought, served with whipped cream and some tart fruit, will be scrumptious. In place of the blackcurrant sauce, try lightly crushed raspberries and strawberries, or gooseberries, or rhubarb cooked with a little sugar into a compote, or even my apple compote (here).