Raspberry and hazelnut meringue torte recipe

Melt-in-the-mouth nutty meringue sandwiched together with sweet summer fruit cream. This dessert both looks and tastes wonderful, and makes an impressive addition to your dinner table

Ingredients

• 6 egg whites
• 375g caster sugar
• 1tsp cornflour
• 1tsp white wine vinegar
• 150g shelled hazelnuts, skin still on, chopped

For the filling:

• 300ml tub whipping cream
• 2tbsp icing sugar
• 250g raspberries
• 125g redcurrants, plus more for dredging
• 2 baking sheets
• Bakewell/baking paper

Method

1. Set the oven to 150°C or gas mark 2. Draw three circles of about 21cm, 18cm and 15cm on the Bakewell paper, then place on the baking sheets.
2. Whisk egg whites until stiff, whisk in half the sugar, then gradually whisk in the remainder. Mix the cornflour and vinegar to a smooth paste and fold into egg whites with all but 1 heaped tbsp of the nuts. Spread meringue in the three circles. Sprinkle nuts on the smallest one.
3. Bake for 1 hour. Turn the oven off and leave the meringues in for another hour or longer. Take out and cool.
4. Whip the cream with the sugar until it just holds it shape. Crush most of the fruit with a fork and fold into the cream to give a marbled effect. Spread it over the 2 larger meringues. Sandwich them together, with the small one on top. Pop the reserved whole fruits round the edges. Dust with icing sugar.