This year’s winter holiday deserves a little extra attention, so celebrate this festive time with these delicious meringue Christmas wreath with cherry kirsch compote and hazelnuts recipe!
Ingredients:
- 4 egg whites
- 200g castor sugar
- 1 tsp cornflour
- 1 tsp white wine vinegar
- 150g fresh cherries, half pitted and the rest left whole with stems
- 3 tbsps Kirsch (cherry liqueur or you can use brandy)
- 75g castor sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla paste
- 300ml double cream
- 2 tbsps castor sugar
- 50g toasted and chopped hazelnuts
Method:
- Preheat oven to 140c/120c fan. Whisk the egg white in a scrupulously clean bowl using a standing mixer or electric handheld whisk. Start the speed on low and when they become foamy increase the speed to medium.
- When soft peaks form, start to add the sugar, one tbsp at a time. Keep adding until it’s all incorporated and the stiff glossy peaks form. Add the cornflour and vinegar and stir once or twice to mix through.
- Cover a large baking sheet with non-stick baking paper. Draw a 28cm circle on the paper and then drop spoonfuls of the mixture onto the paper in the shape of a wreath.
- Use the back of a spoon to make indentions into the meringue spoonfuls. Bake for 90 minutes and then turn the oven off. Leave the meringue in the oven until cool.
- While the meringue is cooking, place the pitted cherries in a medium saucepan. Add the kirsch, sugar and vanilla. Simmer the mixture until the liquid is syrupy, about 8-10 minutes. Remove and set aside until cool.
- Whisk the cream with the castor sugar until soft peaks form. Spoon this onto the cooled meringue. Drizzle the cherry syrup over and top with the poached cherries and fresh ones.
Brought to you by Love Fresh Cherries, the UK’s national cherry association, and chef Jennifer Joyce
