GRAPEFRUIT MERINGUE WITH MASCARPONE

450g grapefruit, pink or white or both 1 lemon 900ml water 750g white granulated sugar A square of muslin or jam-bag into a baking tray and warm in the oven for 10 minutes, then tip into the pan. Bring the liquid to the boil, then simmer gently until it reaches 105ºC on a sugar thermometer, or by testing using a chilled saucer and seeing a small spoonful of marmalade set within a few minutes. It should take about an hour, though maybe less. Decant into sterilised jars and seal. For the meringue, Preheat the oven to 200ºC. Line a small baking tray with parchment, pour in the caster sugar and heat in the oven for about 5 minutes. Tip the egg whites into the bowl of a mixer and whisk slowly at first, then increasing the speed until the egg whites form stiff peaks. Take the sugar out of the oven, and turn the oven down to 100 ºC. Spoon in the warm sugar in small amounts, making sure the mixture returns to a stiff peak after each addition. Once you have added all the sugar, whisk the whole lot on full speed for about 5 minutes, until you have a smooth, stiff and glossy mixture. Pipe or spoon your meringues onto the parchment and bake for 35-45 minutes, until cooked through and crunchy. Turn off the oven, leave the door ajar and let the meringues cool before transferring to an airtight container. For the brandy snaps, heat the oven to 180ºC / Gas 4 and line a baking tray with parchment. Put the butter, sugar and golden syrup in a saucepan and heat gently until melted. Add the lemon zest and juice and the brandy and remove from the heat. Sift the flour and ginger into a bowl and make a shallow well in the centre. Pour in the butter mixture and whisk into the flour until the mixture is smooth and fully mixed. Dollop teaspoonfuls of the mixture onto the baking trays, leaving plenty of room for expansion. Cook in batches for 8 – 10 mins until they take on a pleasant golden brown colour. Leave them to cool for a minute before shaping, either wrapping around a finger to make cylinders, or laying over a wooden spoon handle to form a loose ‘taco’ shape. Finally, just before serving, segment the grapefruit, cover liberally with muscovado and grill until caramelised (you could also use a blowtorch here). To serve, spoon some marmalade on to each plate, and arrange some meringue pieces on top neatly. Scoop some mascarpone between the pieces and garnish with shards of brandy snap, almonds, herbs and the caramelised grapefruit. Serve immediately.