Christmas Meringue Wreath
This is a beautiful dessert of meringue nests topped with cranberry ripple whipped cream and gorgeous red berries and pomegranate seeds. The cranberry purée is made ahead, ready to ripple through whipped cream, for a showstopper that’s quickly assembled shortly before serving. This recipe makes eight portions, but you can easily increase the amounts to cater for all your guests. This dessert is naturally gluten free.
PREP IN
30 MIN
SERVE
8
Christmas Meringue Wreath
PREP IN
30 MIN
SERVE
8
Introduction
This is a beautiful dessert of meringue nests topped with cranberry ripple whipped cream and gorgeous red berries and pomegranate seeds. The cranberry purée is made ahead, ready to ripple through whipped cream, for a showstopper that’s quickly assembled shortly before serving. This recipe makes e
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Ingredients
- 150g raw cranberries
- 65g sugar
- 60ml water
- Squeeze of lemon
- 8 meringue nests
- 250ml fresh cream
- 1 tbsp caster sugar
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- ½ punnet strawberries, rinsed, some cut in halves & others quartered
- ½ punnet raspberries, rinsed
- 4 tbsp pomegranate seeds (optional)
- 8 sprigs fresh mint
Method
- 1. To make the cranberry purée, stir together the raw cranberries, sugar and water in a small saucepan, place over medium heat and bring to a boil.
- 2. Reduce heat and leave to simmer, gently stirring occasionally, until you hear the cranberries pop and the sauce starts to thicken, 7-8 minutes. Remove from heat.
- 3. Gently remove about 16 whole cranberries from the saucepan and save them for later, then using a stick blender, purée the remaining sauce. Transfer purée to a heatproof container and leave to cool for about 15 minutes before covering and chilling in the fridge.
- 4. When you’re ready to assemble the wreath, arrange the meringue nests in a circle on a large serving dish.
- 5. Whip the cream with the caster sugar and vanilla until medium peak.
- 6. Loosen the cranberry purée by stirring with a fork. Tip: If it set too firm, you can stir in about 1 tbsp warm water to help thin it slightly.
- 7. Drop spoonful’s of the cranberry purée into the whipped cream then lightly swirl through.
- 8. Top each meringue nest with dollops of the cranberry ripple whipped cream then add strawberry halves and quarters, raspberries, the reserved cooked cranberries, and the pomegranate seeds. Finally, add a sprig of fresh mint to finish.
- 9. You can dust with icing sugar to serve for a snowy finish.
