Anyone who remembers when baked Alaska or lemon meringue pie were considered gourmet, or who has ever spent a bit too long gazing at the brightly coloured, cloud-like creations at their local patisserie, will know that meringues are the ultimate nostalgia food. Which is why this, along with all of the other recipes in café queen Rosie Lovell’s new cookbook, is top of our ‘must cook’ list.

Lovell, who runs cult Brixton eatery Rosie’s Deli, has become a household name since her first cookbook, Spooning With Rosie. And her second book follows suit with a more grown-up collection of home cooking favourites.

Kcal

327 per serving

Saturated fat

1.9g per serving

Preparation time

20 minutes

Cooking time

40 minutes

Ingredients (serves 6):

4 egg whites
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
125g hazelnuts
250g caster sugar
A few drops of vanilla extract
1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
275ml double cream
1 punnet of raspberries (200g)
Icing sugar, for dusting

Method

Step 1: Bring the egg whites to room temperature. Line the base of two 20cm round cake tins with foil. Grease the sides and the foil with vegetable oil. Toast the nuts until they are golden, either in the oven or in a dry pan over a low heat. Tip them onto a plate to cool then pulse in a foodprocessor until chunky.

Step 2: Turn the oven up to 200°C/gas mark 6. Place the egg whites in a large bowl and whisk until stiff. Gradually fold in the caster sugar (whipping continually), then the vanilla and vinegar and finally the nuts – do this carefully as you don’t want to lose any air. Divide the mixture into the two cake tins and bake for 10 minutes. Turn the temperature down to 170°C/gas mark 3 and cook for a further 25-30 minutes. Remove the meringues from the oven and leave to cool. Only remove them from their tins when they are completely cold.

Step 3: Whip the double cream until it forms firm peaks, then fold in the raspberries. Spread the mixture over the first meringue and seal with the second on top. Dust with icing sugar to serve.

From Supper With Rosie by Rosie Lovell. Published by Kyle Books, £16.99

Eat it with

Wine expert Jane Parkinson suggests the perfect pairing:

"De Bortoli Noble One Botrytis Semillon 2008 NSW, £16, Waitrose One of Australia’s bestknown dessert wines, this is made from the Semillon grape and becomes sweet thanks to a (good) vine disease called botrytis, which dehydrates the grape and so increases the sugar to water ratio. It has really vibrant aromas of peaches and cream."

Recipe: Hazelnut Meringue