Rhubarb and hazelnut mini pavlovas

January in London is a funny thing. It's cold, yes - but no longer endearingly so, as it was before Christmas. Any dustings of snow are now singularly annoying, rather than festive and exciting. People are struggling along with Dry January (I'm all for heath, but forgive me for saying there is no month where I need a glass of wine in the evening more so than January), and this year, Veganuary - as someone who works in Restaurant PR, I can safely say if I never hear that word again, it will be too soon.

If I sound a little scornful, forgive me. Four years of writing a baking blog has certainly put me off this time of restraint and abstinence. Is it just me who finds this circus of resolution a little gloomy? In the throws of winter and without the holidays to look forward to, I'd prefer it if we were all a little less tough on ourselves at this time of year.

And with that, I bring you a recipe which uses sugar, dairy and majestic forced rhubarb, which is just starting to come to market ahead of its February season. Rhubarb's brightness and light is a welcome and comforting sight to this sun-lover, and the sweetness of meringue the perfect end to January resolutions.

I've written before about my struggle with winter - I come from a family of sun-lovers, and we all feel genuinely happier from May-September (it's a thing!). That being said, I find that with age the return of winter brings with it an underlying comfort and reassurance. The cosiness of nestling in for a weekend in the kitchen becomes increasingly enticing - especially on rainy days such as this. It's funny how things shift as the years go by.

What are you all baking this weekend? I'd love to hear what's going on in your kitchens. This recipe makes 4 or 5 mini pavlovas, but is easily doubled.

THE INGREDIENTS

Rhubarb

300g forced rhubarb

50g caster sugar

1 orange

1 tsp vanilla bean paste

Meringues

150g caster sugar

100g egg whites (2 large/3medium eggs)

150g double cream

1 tsp icing sugar

1 tsp vanilla bean paste

50g toasted hazelnuts, roughly chopped

THE RECIPE

Heat the oven to 160°C / 140°C fan. Line an ovenproof dish with foil. Slice the rhubarb into 4-5cm batons, trimming off the ends. Arrange in the lined dish, then sprinkle with the caster sugar, the vanilla and the juice and zest of the orange. Cover with a second sheet of foil, and roast in the oven for 20-30 minutes until the rhubarb is soft. Don't overcook it, or it will fall apart and loose its shape.


Lower the oven to 100°C / 80°C fan. Line a large baking tray with baking paper. Whisk the eggs whites to stiff peaks in a stand mixer or with an electric whisk. Add the caster sugar, one tbsp at a time, whisking after each addition before adding any more sugar. The sugar should be completely dissolved, and a little meringue rubbed between your fingers should not feel grainy.

Spoon the meringue into mini pavlovas on the baking tray. Try not to squash it, as the height is what will make them so pretty. Place on the bottom shelf of the oven. Bake for 1 hour 30 minutes - 2 hours. The meringue is done when it can be lifted off the baking paper at the edges. Turn the oven off, leaving the meringue inside to cool completely. This will allow the meringue to cool down gradually, and for the centre to become soft and mallowy.

When you are ready to assemble the pavlovas, place the cream in a large bowl. Add the icing sugar and vanilla, and whip until the cream is thick and pillowy. Spoon the cream over the pavlova, then top with the roasted rhubarb. Top with the toasted hazelnuts.

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Rhubarb and rose pavlova

My Mum always says that a hot April makes for a wet summer. If she's right, then we are in for an absolute downpour. Over the past few days, London's parks have been chocca with dizzy, vitamin D-deprived city dwellers getting their fix after so many months of cold, grey weather. Spring is in full swing, and I could not be happier.

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BROWN SUGAR MERINGUE WITH CLEMENTINE CURD

Contrary to what the title and subject of this blog might suggest, I was not always the pudding lover that I am today. I'm loath to admit that as a child I found custard, meringue, jelly and cream too sweet, too sickly, too - well - sugary. In the interest of full disclosure, I wasn't very good with savoury food either. My Mum takes great delight in telling people that for a year I ate nothing but weetabix and marmite sandwiches, but that's another story for another time.

My distaste was not helped by Mum's penchant for making pavlova and trifle - two puddings rife with the aforementioned meringue, jelly and custard - at the same time. Her logic, of course, was that the yolks left over from the meringue could be made into custard for the trifle. That, and the fact that pavlova and trifle are so freaking delicious.

The resourceful ethos behind this pairing now fills me with joy, which is why I wanted to develop a recipe for meringue that puts those sunny, glossy yolks to good use too.

Brown sugar is not often found in meringue, perhaps because caster results in the snowy white peaks that we all associate with this pudding. While my brown sugar versions aren't snowy, I rather like the nutty, caramel hue that you find when you bite into the chewy soft centre. Brown sugar has such a distinct, delicious flavour, which brings something more to the sweetness of a classic meringue.

Clementines are glorious at this time of year, but you could use any other citrus or berry curd to fill your meringues.

THE INGREDIENTS

meringue

2 egg whites

50g caster sugar

50g soft light brown sugar

clementine curd

2 clementines, juiced and zested

1 lemon, juiced and zested

2 egg yolks

50g caster sugar

20g butter

For the meringue, preheat the oven to 150C, and line a baking tray with parchment. Before you begin, wipe your mixing bowl with a piece of lemon, to ensure that it is squeaky clean. Add the egg whites, then whisk with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Separately, mix the two sugars together, then add a teaspoon at a time to the egg whites, with the mixer still whisking. The mixture is ready when you can pinch it between your fingers and not feel an graininess. 

Spoon into four peaks on the baking tray, shape into circles, then bake in the preheated oven for 2 hours. The meringues are ready when you can lift them off the baking tray without sticking. 

For the curd, place the zest, juices, egg yolks and sugar together in a large, heavy based pan. Set over a medium heat, and stir constantly as the sugar dissolves. Continue stirring for 10-15 minutes, until the mixture thickens. It is ready when a layer coats the back of the spoon. Remove from the heat and mix in the butter, then strain through a sieve and transfer to a bowl to cool. 

Serve the meringues with a dollop of fresh curd on top, and store any that is left in sterilised jars. 

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