Pudding Baking

Traybaked Berry Meringue

The finest seasonal fruit and berries smothered in meringue that's crunchy on the outside and marshmallowy in the middle

15 minutes prep, 60 minutes cook

Serves 6

Ingredients

600g mixed berries, including blueberries, strawberries and raspberries

400g (approx 6) plums, halved, stoned and roughly chopped

75g light muscovado sugar

1 vanilla pod

4 Waitrose British Blacktail Medium Free Range Egg whites, or similar

200g caster sugar

2 tbsp cornflour

2 tsp white wine vinegar

Method

Preheat the oven to 140°C, gas mark 1. Place the berries (strawberries halved if large), plums and muscovado sugar into a baking dish or tin measuring about 20x30cm.

Split the vanilla pod in half and, using a small, sharp knife, scrape out the vanilla seeds and mix well with the fruits then add the scraped pod.

Place the egg whites in a clean bowl and whisk until soft peaks form. Gradually add the caster sugar 1 tbsp at a time, whisking well after each addition, until the mixture is stiff and glossy.

Add the cornflour and vinegar and whisk until just combined.

Drop large spoonfuls of the meringue mixture on top of the fruits until roughly covered, then bake for 1 hour, until the meringue is crunchy on the outside and marshmallowy on the inside, and the fruits are tender and have a lovely sauce.

Serve warm or cold with thick cream or ice cream.