cookery
Fall in love with these beautiful sweetly spiced recipes – perfect for sharing
Rose & rhubarb fool pavlova
Serves 8 Ready in 1 hr 40 mins, plus cooling
6 large egg whites
(240g) at room temperature
375g caster sugar
2½tsp cornflour
2tsp white wine vinegar
½tsp rose water
¾tsp pink peppercorns, ground
350g rhubarb, roughly chopped
3tsbp caster sugar ½-1tsp rose water
225ml double cream
75ml Greek-style yoghurt Pomegranate seeds, to serve
1 Draw a roughly 23cm circle on a piece of baking paper (I draw around a cake tin) and put it pencil-side down on a baking sheet. Heat the oven to 180°C/gas 4.
2 In a stand mixer or with an electric whisk on medium speed, beat the egg whites until white and foamy. Add the sugar, a spoonful at a time, whisking all the while. Turn up the 32 Bella speed and whisk for 5-10 mins until glossy and thick. If you rub a little between your fingertips, it should feel smooth. At low speed, briefly whisk in the cornflour, vinegar, rose water and pink peppercorns.
3 Tip the meringue onto the baking sheet, mounding it high and swirling it, using the circle as a guide. Smooth the edges using a small palette knife then drag the sides from bottom to top to create deep grooves all around the edge.
4 Put into the oven and lower the temperature to 150°C/gas 2. Bake for 1 hr 15 mins. Leaving the meringue in the oven, turn off the heat and let it cool slowly without opening the door. The longer you leave it, even overnight if you have time, the better.
5 For the rhubarb fool, shake together the rhubarb, sugar and rose water in a pan. Set over a medium heat and cook, uncovered, for 15 mins or so. Leave to cool.
6 Whip the cream to soft peaks then gently fold through the yoghurt. Ripple in the stewed rhubarb and chill in the fridge until ready to serve. At the last moment, spoon the rhubarb fool into the centre of the meringue and top with a hot-pink scattering of pomegranate seeds.
Saffron macaroons
Makes About 20
Ready in 50 mins plus drying and cooling
Large pinch of saffron threads
2 large egg whites (80g) at room temperature
240g icing sugar, sifted
240g ground almonds
2tsp almond extract
¼tsp baking powder
Pinch of fine sea salt
1 Crumble or grind the saffron and add 1tbsp hot water. Set aside to infuse to a deep yellow.
2 Whisk the egg whites to form stiff peaks. Sift the icing sugar and set aside 30g in a shallow bowl. In a large bowl, mix together the ground almonds, saffron liquid and almond extract. Add the remaining icing sugar, baking powder and salt. Stir through the egg whites until dense and sticky.
3 Line a baking sheet with baking paper. Use two spoons to shape walnut-sized pieces of the dough into balls,
