Hazelnut meringue stack with glazed figs is a layered triumph. Meringue has a distinctive sweetness that’s made more delicate by the earthiness of figs and hazelnuts. A lovely centerpiece for afternoon tea.
Recipe by Andria Neophytou
Hazelnut meringue stack with glazed figs
Ingredients
Hazelnut meringue
- 55g (½ cup) hazelnut meal (made by grinding roasted hazelnuts)
Glaze
- 60ml (¼ cup) red port wine
- 15ml (1 tbsp) brown sugar
Filling
- 520g (2 cups) low-fat Greek yoghurt
- 2,5ml (½ tsp) vanilla bean paste
- 8 – 10 fresh figs
- 15ml (1 tbsp) cornflour
- 270g castor sugar
- 6 egg whites, at room temperature
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 150°C.
Draw 3 x 18cm circles on 3 sheets of baking paper. Place the baking paper, pencil-side down, on 3 baking trays.
Combine the hazelnut meal, cornflour and 55g of the castor sugar in a bowl, and set aside. Use electric beaters to beat the egg whites in a clean, dry bowl until firm peaks form. Gradually add the remaining castor sugar, until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is thick and glossy. Gently fold in the hazelnut mixture in 2 batches, until just combined. Divide the meringue mixture evenly among the prepared circles, using a palette knife to smooth the surface.
Reduce the oven temperature from 150°C to 130°C. Bake in the preheated oven until crisp, 35 – 40 minutes. Turn the oven off, leaving the meringues inside with the door closed, to cool completely.
For the glaze, heat the port and brown sugar in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring, until dissolved, for 1 minute. Bring to a boil then simmer, without stirring, until thick and syrupy, 3 – 5 minutes. Set aside to cool.
For the filling, combine the yoghurt and vanilla in a bowl.
To assemble, place 1 meringue disc on a plate. Layer with one-third of the yoghurt and fig slices. Continue layering with the remaining meringue discs, yoghurt and figs. Top the remaining yoghurt mixture with figs and drizzle with the glaze. Serve immediately.
