Meringue with cherry and apricot compote

SERVES 6-8 TAKES: 2 HOURS

What YOU’LL NEED

■ 5 large free-range egg

whites

■ 200g golden caster sugar

■ 50g soft brown sugar

■ Salt

■ 300g cherries, stoned

■ 4 figs quartered

■ 4 apricots, halved and stoned

■ Zest and juice of 1 lemon

■ 2tsp honey

■ 250g Greek yogurt

■ 1tsp vanilla bean paste

■ 60ml maple syrup ■ 200g crème fraîche

■ Edible flowers, to decorate

1 Preheat the oven to 150c/ Gas 2. Line a 40 x 5cm baking tray with greaseproof paper.

2 Put the egg whites into the bowl of a freestanding mixer. Whisk on medium-high until the whites form firm peaks. With the mixer still running, gradually add both the sugars and a big pinch of salt. turn the mixer up to the highest setting and whisk for about 4-6 minutes, until the meringue is white and glossy. to test if it’s ready, rub some of the mixture between your fingers. if it feels completely smooth, it’s done; if it’s slightly grainy, it needs a bit more whisking.

3 Dot each corner of the greaseproof paper with a blob of meringue to help stick it to the tray. Spoon the meringue on to the paper then, using the back of a spoon, shape and swirl it into a large round.

4 Bake in the preheated oven for 1hr30 mins, until crisp on the outside and a little soft and sticky inside. Leave to cool. 5 meanwhile, put all the fruit in a pan along with the zest and juice of the lemon and the honey. Bring to a boil over a high heat for 10 minutes, then reduce the heat to medium and simmer for a further 5 minutes. turn off the heat and allow to cool. 6 in a large bowl whisk the yogurt with the vanilla paste and maple syrup, then fold through the crème fraîche.

7 With the back of a spoon smear the yogurt over the meringue. Scatter with the fruit, drizzling over the juices, then decorate with edible flowers. Per serving: 440 cals, 18g fat (12g sat fat), 62g carbs