Puff candy meringue recipe
This dish is an adapted version of a pudding my Grannie used to make me and is also where my love of food began. I was always told to pull the rhubarb in the garden which she would turn into rhubarb candy crumble. I was only allowed into the kitchen when Grampa had gone to sit down (‘for peace and quiet’) however I was quite happy sat out on the back garden step with my prize stalk of rhubarb to dip in a wee poke of sugar. So then I was brought in to the kitchen to watch my Gran make puff candy. At 4 years old, and even now, it had such a wow factor! I love the look on people faces when we make this. It must have given my Grannie great pleasure to see me so excited if only she knew now...
Ingredients
For the puff candy- 4 tbsp granulated sugar
- 4 tsp golden syrup
- 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 4 egg whites
- 100 g caster sugar
- 100 g light muscovado sugar
- 100 g unsalted butter
- 100 ml double cream
- 6 scoops of good quality vanilla ice cream
Details
- Cuisine: British
- Recipe Type: Dessert
- Difficulty: Easy
- Preparation Time: 10 mins
- Cooking Time: 50 mins
- Serves: 6
Step-by-step
- To make the puff candy, boil the sugar and syrup together until light golden, then remove from the heat. Quickly whisk in the bicarbonate of soda, until the mixture is frothy, then pour onto a greased baking tray. Leave to cool until required.
- To make the meringues, preheat the oven to 150°C/300°F/Gas 3 and lay some greaseproof paper on a baking sheet. Whisk the egg whites, adding the sugar gradually, until they form soft peaks (you can fold some crushed puff candy through the whisked egg whites before baking if you like).
- Drop spoonfuls of the mixture about 6cm/21/2 inches in diameter on to the greaseproof paper, spaced well apart. Put in the hot oven and bake for 40 minutes. You want these meringues to be still chewy in the middle. Remove them from the baking sheet with a spatula and lay them on a wire cooling rack until required.
- To make the sauce, boil the sugar and butter until dark golden brown. Carefully add the double cream and simmer for 2 minutes Use a high-sided pan, as this mixture will boil up quite a long way. Store in an airtight jar in the fridge. It will keep for 3-4 weeks, if you can keep it for that length of time.
- To serve, place a meringue in each bowl, add some good quality vanilla ice cream and a large spoonful of crushed puff candy. Pour the butterscotch sauce over the top and serve.
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Photo credit: From The Real Food Cookbook ©
Commissioned Photography by Noel Murphy / Duncan Baird Publishers 2011