It's gooseberry season, so I had a think about what I could make with them while they are at their peak. Popping into the greengrocer's at Newington Green, I noticed they had green and red gooseberries (the latter sweet, the former tart), as well as some bergamot-fragranced honey. Looking at the box of eggs in my basket, a gooseberry and bergamot meringue pie was born in my mind.
And here is the recipe. The balance of tart green gooseberries with the sweetness of the red gooseberries - and the mallow softness of meringue - made this truly exceptional.
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INGREDIENTS
Pastry
225g / 8 oz plain flour
110g / 4 oz butter
80g / 3 oz sugar
1 large egg
Filling
1tbsp cognac
2tbsp bergamot honey
1 punnet red gooseberries
1 punnet green gooseberries
3 egg yolks
1tsp cornflour
1tbsp water
Meringue
3 egg whites
175g caster sugar
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METHOD
1. Crumb cold butter and flour together until they resemble breadcrumbs
2. Mix in sugar and then egg, until it combines into pastry - a little milk will help if it is too dry. This is easier to make in a processor, if you have one.
3. Bake in a pre-heated oven at 180-degrees for 15 - 18 minutes
4. Meanwhile, cook gooseberries over a medium-high heat until the start to break down. A tablespoon of cognac will help this along the way and prevent them from catching. Still in honey and heat through, before adding a paste of 1tsp cornflour to 1tbsp water and whisk in the egg yolks. When thickened, turn heat off and set aside.
5. Whisk eggs whites until medium-stiff and then fold in sugar little by little until you have stiff, glossy peaks.
6. Remove pie base from oven, fill with custard, and then dollop your meringue on top, creating swirls.
7. Bake in oven at 150-degrees for 35-40 minutes.
8. Gobble up with creme fraiche.
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