HAZELNUT VACHERIN

I was wandering around the Otago Farmers market.  For over 10 years I have been getting my free-range eggs, locally harvested nuts and enjoying Jersey cream.  I thought this dessert is a true celebration of our incredible diverse array of local ingredients.

You can make the meringue discs a couple days ahead and all you will need to do is too whip some cream, prep some strawberries and layer it between your hazelnut meringues.

Serves 8-10

Ingredients

150g hazelnuts, lightly toasted and skins removed

5 (150g) egg whites

170g caster sugar

80g brown sugar

½ tsp vanilla extract

2 tsp cornflour

250g fresh strawberries

300ml fresh cream

1 tsp icing sugar

Method

Lightly crush the cooled hazelnuts

Preheat the oven 150C

Draw 3 x 20cm circles onto greaseproof paper and line 2-3 baking trays. Or smaller if needed to fit on your oven trays so you can cook them at the same time.

In a clean bowl of your electric mixer, add the egg whites and sugar and whisk on high until the sugar has dissolved and the whites are stiff, silky and meringue-like.

Fold in the cornflour and ¾ of the crushed hazelnuts. 

Divide the mix between the 3 circles on your baking paper. Spread evenly to create a thin disc like shape.

Turn the oven down to 120C and bake the meringue discs 1 ½ hours.  If the meringues begin to colour, turn the oven down a little more. 

Remove from the oven and cool.  

To assemble, whip the cream with the icing sugar.

Place a dab of cream onto your cake plate and place the first disc onto the cream (this will stop it from sliding). Spread over some cream to cover the disc, slice over some strawberries and repeat with the next meringue disc. Place the 3rd and final meringue disc on top and spoon the remaining cream into the centre, pile on some strawberries, scatter over the remaining hazelnuts. You can also add some chocolate decorations or flowers to finish it off.

Enjoy and merry christmas everyone, stay safe, be kind and see you in 2023

Alison x