Rhubarb and Ginger Meringue Stack

Choose the brightest pink stalks of rhubarb you can find for this majestic pudding. Hands-on time 30min, plus cooling. Cooking time about 1hr 55min. Serves 10

FOR THE RHUBARB

 500g rhubarb, trimmed

 75g caster sugar

 2 balls stem ginger, finely chopped

FOR THE MERINGUE

 4 medium egg whites

 200g caster sugar

 1tsp cornflour

FOR THE FILLING

 600ml double cream

 2tbsp icing sugar, sifted

 11/2tbsp stem ginger syrup

 50g ginger biscuits, finely chopped

1 Preheat oven to 200°C (180°C fan) mark 6. For the rhubarb, chop stalks into 3cm pieces and put into a small roasting tin. Sprinkle over sugar and ginger and

stir to combine. Cover with foil and cook for 15min. Remove foil, stir again and cook (uncovered) for 10min, or until soft and syrupy. Gently strain into a jug (reserve rhubarb and syrup separately).

2 For the meringue, reduce oven to 140°C (120°C fan) mark 1. Line 2 large baking sheets with baking parchment. Draw

3 x 20.5cm circles on to the parchment, then flip so the ink is underneath.

3 Using a freestanding mixer, or a handheld electric whisk and a large bowl, beat the egg whites until they hold stiff peaks. Gradually beat in the sugar and continue to beat until the meringue is thick and glossy. Add the cornflour and beat again briefly to combine.

4 Secure the baking parchment on to the baking sheets with a few small smears of meringue. Spoon 1/3 of the meringue on to each circle and smooth to level within the template (they need to be fairly flat). Bake for 1hr 30min, or until crisp. Turn off the oven and leave the meringues inside to cool for 1hr, then remove and leave to cool completely at room temperature.

5 When ready to serve, make the filling. Using a freestanding mixer, or a handheld electric whisk and a large bowl, beat the cream, icing sugar and stem ginger syrup until the mixture just holds soft peaks.

6 To assemble, place a meringue circle on to a cake stand or serving plate. Pipe or spread over 1/3 of the filling, then sprinkle over 1/3 of the rhubarb compote and 1/3 of the crushed biscuits. Drizzle over a little of the rhubarb syrup. Repeat layering twice more. Serve. PER SERVING 471cals, 3g protein, 33g fat (20g saturates), 40g carbs (37g total sugars), 1g fibre GET AHEAD Bake meringues up to a day ahead. Once cool, store in an airtight container at room temperature. Complete step 1 up to 2hr ahead. Set compote and rhubarb syrup aside at room temperature. Complete recipe to serve. n