Almond Meringue & Green Apple Caramel Fool

Cook Time 2 hours and 15 minutes

Servings 6-8

Ingredients

Meringue
300g egg whites
300g caster sugar
150g icing sugar mixture
1 tbsp Erawan brand rice flour
1 tsp white wine vinegar
½ cup flaked almonds

Apple & Vanilla Puree
8 green apples – peeled
300ml water
100g caster sugar
40ml lemon juice
1 vanilla bean

Caramel
1 recipe of Apple Vanilla Puree
400g caster sugar
100g Water

The Fool
100g Apple Caramel
200G Whipped Double Cream
10ml Calvados
1 green apple Diced

Method

For the meringue, whisk egg whites, rain in caster sugar till soft peaks form. On low-speed – add icing sugar, rice flour, burnt vanilla powder. Add the vinegar last then turn off mixer. Spread meringue into a baking paper-lined rectangular slice tray, rim edge and sprinkle the flaked almonds. Place into an oven set to 200°C (no fan), once trays are loaded in, shut the door and lower heat to 145°C and bake for 1 hour 45 mins until meringue is crisp and dry.

For the apple and vanilla puree, add the sugar, pod, seeds and liquids to a stainless pot that will hold the apples in a fairly shallow layer. Peel all the apples and, on a mandolin, slice thinly down to the core on each side, into the pot. Discard cores. Apples must be equal thickness so as to cook evenly. Simmer with a lid or cover with a cartouche (baking paper) for five minutes then remove lid to finish cooking another five minutes. The apples must be all cooked through, but not stewed for a long time or the sauce won’t taste fresh. Remove from the heat, take out vanilla pods, strain off and reserve a little of the liquid. Blend all the apples and the liquid in the pan. Use the reserved liquid to thin out the sauce if needed.

For the caramel, start by adding the sugar and water into a very clean high sided saucepan. Let the sugar burn to a dark amber colour (approximately five mins.) When you are happy with the colour of your caramel, in three parts carefully add in the cooled apple vanilla puree to stop the caramel from getting any darker. You must be very careful at this stage as with every addition the caramel will boil and potentially spit hot caramel from the pot. Use a whisk to incorporate puree to a rich, smooth consistency. Store in clean plastic container or glass mason jar either room temp or refrigerated depending on the application.

For the fool, pour Calvados into a saucepan and put on a very low heat. When you start to see vapour coming from the liquid remove from heat and light with a match. This will burn off the alcohol without boiling it and compromising the flavour of the Calvados. Pour the alcohol onto the apple caramel and whisk together in a large mixing bowl. Dice a peeled green apple and add to the caramel. Once incorporated add all of the cream on top of the caramel and gently fold the cream and caramel together being sure to keep as a ripple – not completely mixed together.

Spoon this generously over the almond meringue & serve immediately