Method: Preheat the oven to 140°C/120°C Fan. On a large sheet of baking parchment, draw around a 30cm plate in the middle of the paper. Put the egg whites into a clean mixing bowl and whisk until soft peaks are formed when the whisk is lifted out. On a high speed add the caster sugar, … Continue reading "Family Values: Christmas Day Sweet Centrepiece: Fruited Christmas Meringue Wreath"

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 140°C/120°C Fan. On a large sheet of baking parchment, draw around a 30cm plate in the middle of the paper.
2. Put the egg whites into a clean mixing bowl and whisk until soft peaks are formed when the whisk is lifted out.
3. On a high speed add the caster sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time (I count to ten in between each spoonful!), until the meringue mix is stiff and glossy.
4. Put a small amount of the meringue mix in each corner of a baking tray large enough to fit your wreath.
5. Lay over the baking parchment, pencil mark down. You should still be able to see the circle you drew.
6. Spoon 10-12 balls of the meringue inside your 30cm circle to make your wreath shape. Make shallow hollows in each of the balls so the cream will sit inside after baking.
7. Bake the meringue for 1 hour 15 minutes.
8. You can turn the oven off and leave the wreath inside to cool.
9. Whip the cream together with the vanilla extract and icing sugar.
10. Spoon the cream into the hollows of meringue and decorate with the fruits and chocolate stars.