Meringue with elderflower liqueur cream, peaches and pansies recipe

This beautiful meringue is squidgy in the middle and crunchy on the outside and the perfect dessert when served with our elderflower liqueur cream.

Our meringue slab with elderflower liqueur cream, peaches and pansies makes a fantastic centrepiece for special occasions. Thankfully, it’s blissfully simple to put together but looks very impressive. You could also turn the recipe into a pavlova stack. (opens in new tab)

Pansies and Viola flowers are said to be great for giving the immune system a boost. They contain small amounts of naturally occurring chemicals that can help to reduce inflammation too. If you struggle with hayfever in the summer, try these natural remedies. (opens in new tab)

Unlike some edible flowers (opens in new tab), the entire pansy can be eaten, so just snip the flower off its stem and use as you like. Many people struggle to perfect their meringue and practice certainly makes perfect. Our best tips are to always use fresh eggs at room temperature, never let any yolk into the whites and don’t overbeat the eggs. If you are still struggling to make the perfect meringue, try a tiny pinch (approx ¼ tsp) of cream of tartar in the mix.

Ingredients

For the meringue:

• 6 organic free-range egg whites
• 350g (12oz) caster sugar
• 1tsp white wine vinegar
• 2 level tsp cornflour
• 1tsp vanilla paste or extract

For the topping:

• 4 peaches or nectarines, sliced into segments
• 1tbsp caster sugar
• 500ml (16fl oz) double cream
• 60g (2oz) icing sugar, sifted
• 4tbsp elderflower liqueur
• Handful of pansies or edible flowers, to decorate

Method

1. Heat the oven to 140C/Gas 1 and line a large baking tray with parchment.
2. For the meringue, in a large bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff. Whisk in the sugar, 1tbsp at a time, until glossy and it forms stiff peaks; then whisk in the vinegar, cornflour and vanilla.
3. Spoon the meringue onto the tray and spread it out with a spoon. Bake for 1 hr 30 mins in the centre of the oven, then leave to cool in the oven.
4. For the topping, toss the sliced fruit in the sugar and place in a frying pan over a medium heat. Cook until the fruit has softened slightly and is caramelised at the edges.
5. Whisk together the cream and icing sugar until thickened. Add the liqueur to taste and whisk briefly until softly whipped. Chill until required then spread onto the meringue with the fruit and flowers.