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Boozy blackcurrant and lemon verbena meringues recipe
One of the greatest privileges of my craic-riddled culinary career has been to work in the hallowed grounds of Ballymaloe House, said Oisín Davis. It is the epicentre of Irish cuisine, and I’ve been lucky enough to guide hundreds of the world’s best bartenders through its walled gardens to share the simplest of philosophies with them: farm-to-table food and farm-to-glass cocktails. It’s also where I grew to love lemon verbena, a wonderfully perfumed, citrus-tasting herb that adds a deliciously fragrant note to this dessert.
Ingredients (serves 6)
12 fresh lemon verbena leaves or 1 tbsp of coarsely chopped fresh rosemary, plus extra to decorate
100ml (plus 4 tsp) boiling water
300g fresh or frozen blackcurrants (thawed if using frozen)
60ml Glendalough Single Grain Double Barrel Finish Irish Whiskey
200g caster sugar
3 egg whites
For the whipped cream
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1⁄2 vanilla bean, split in half lengthways and seeds scraped out
Method
The day before, put the lemon verbena or rosemary needles in a jar with the boiling water. Get the lid on, then once cooled, shake for a few seconds and let it infuse overnight in the fridge.
Preheat your oven to 110C (230F). Line a large baking sheet with non-stick baking paper.
Strain the liquid from the lemon verbena or rosemary, then pour into a saucepan on a medium heat. Add the blackcurrants and half of the whiskey. Simmer until the blackcurrants start to break up, then stir in 50g of the sugar until it’s dissolved. You now have a compote but you’re going to need some purée from it, so press 4 tablespoons of the compote through a fine mesh sieve. Discard the pulp in the sieve but set aside both the purée and the compote.
Put the egg whites in a spotlessly clean, dry bowl and use an electric mixer to whisk to stiff peaks. Add the remaining sugar a little bit at a time, while continuously whisking until the meringue is stiff and glossy. Turn off the mixer, then slowly drizzle in the purée. Fold it through with just one stir to create a marbled look.
Dollop six equal portions on to the lined sheet, using the back of a spoon to shape them into circles. Bake for 1.5 hours, then set aside to cool completely on a wire rack.
To serve, whisk the cream, remaining whiskey and vanilla until it forms soft peaks. Dollop on top of each meringue, then add a spoonful of compote and decorate with extra lemon verbena or a rosemary sprig.
