Fig meringue sandwich
This works as a dessert or an afternoon tea cake. It can also be served as a roulade. Simply turn the meringue out on to sugared paper, cool, pile with cream and fruit, then roll up like a great, fat Swiss roll. Makes 6 cakes.Advertisement
egg whites 6
caster sugar 280g
shelled hazelnuts 100g
cornflour 1 tbspFor the filling:
hazelnuts 150g
vanilla pod 1
honey 4 tbsp
double cream 400ml
figs 9Line a 33cm x 24cm Swiss roll tin with lightly oiled baking parchment. Set the oven at 200C/gas mark 6. To make the meringue, toast the hazelnuts in a dry pan until fragrant, then coarsely chop them. Beat the egg whites until thick and fluffy in a food processor fitted with a whisk attachment. Tip in the sugar and keep beating until glossy. Add the hazelnuts and cornflour, then tip into the lined sponge tin. Slide the meringue into the oven, turn the heat immediately down to 160C/gas mark 3 and bake for about 45 minutes until lightly crisp on top. Sugar a sheet of greaseproof paper, tip the meringue out on to it and leave to cool.
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Chicken pesto toasts
I use a chicken breast for this, but you could do it equally well with chicken fillets, which are sold in packets of four or so at the supermarket.Advertisement
basil leaves 10, large
olive oil 5 tbsp
garlic a small clove
brie 100g
sourdough bread 4 slices
flaked almonds a handful Make the basil dressing by blitzing the basil leaves with the olive oil and garlic and a little salt, in a food processor, blender or using a pestle and mortar.Toast the bread lightly on both sides. Slice the brie and divide between the bread, spreading it thickly over the surface.
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Strawberry mascarpone toasts
You could also serve this in a brioche bun. Slice the top off the bun, fill with the strawberry and mascarpone mixture, then top with the brioche lid. Serves 4.brioche 4 slicesmascarpone 200g
cream 200g
vanilla pod 1
strawberries 20
skinned hazelnuts 40g
caster sugar 80gLightly oil a nonstick baking sheet using a mild or flavourless oil.Make the praline. Put the hazelnuts and the sugar into a nonstick frying pan with a couple of tablespoons of water and bring to the boil. Let them bubble until they are pale gold. Watch them carefully as the colour darkens a little, then tip on to the oiled tray. Leave to cool and crisp.Slice the strawberries in half. Lightly whip the cream until thick, then gently fold in the mascarpone and a little of the vanilla. Roughly chop the sugared hazelnuts, then fold in half of them to the cream and mascarpone. Toast the brioche, then spread some of the mascarpone cream on each slice. Pile some of the strawberries on top and scatter with the reserved chopped sugared nuts.
Email Nigel at nigel.slater@observer.co.uk
Slice of the action: Nigel Slater's fig meringue sweet sandwich recipe. Photograph: Jonathan Lovekin for the Observer
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