Meringue with Yuzu Curd Recipe - Great British Chefs

Rachel Walker balances sweet and zingy flavours of yuzu and persimmon in this delightful meringue dessert recipe – perfect for injecting some bright and bold flavours into the winter gloom.

hide story show story

Meringues are often associated with summertime, heaped with mounds of strawberries and raspberries. This exotic version showcases two beautiful winter fruits instead: yuzu and persimmons. The yuzu curd is sharp and fragrant, while the sweet, griddled persimmon serves as a dramatic topping, which makes a showstopping end to a winter or early springtime dinner party.

Yuzu curd
2 fresh yellow yuzus, zested and juiced
50g of butter, cubed
100g of sugar
2 egg yolks
Meringue
1 egg white
55g of caster sugar
150g of double cream
1 hachiya persimmon, ripe

print recipe

shopping List

Boil a small pan of water and find a small glass bowl which snugly fits on top of it to create a bain marie

Place the yuzu juice, yuzu zest, cubed butter and sugar in the glass bowl. Sit the bowl on top of the simmering pan and stir until the butter has melted

Add the egg yolks to the bowl and continue stirring over a gentle heat for 10–12 minutes, or until the curd has thickened to a custard-like consistency. Refrigerate. Don't worry if the curd seems a little loose as it will continue to thicken as it cools

Preheat the oven to 120°C/gas mark 1/4

To make the meringue, tip the egg whites into a clean mixing bowl and whisk until they form soft peaks. Add the sugar, half a tablespoon at a time, until the meringue mixture becomes glossy and holds its shape

Spoon the meringue mixture onto a baking tray lined with non-stick baking parchment, using a spatula to shape it into a small nest. Place in the oven for 2–3 hours, until the meringue has dried-out and become crisp. Gently lift it from the baking parchment onto a platter or cake stand

Cut the persimmon into segments and line them along on a searing hot griddle pan, cooking them for 3–4 minutes on each side so the fruit is softened and lined with black char

Meanwhile, whip the cream. Spoon it into the meringue and scoop the lemon curd on top. Arrange the persimmon segments in a spiral on top and serve immediately