Recipe: Stuffed Baked Nectarines with Golden Italian Meringue

"If you are really under pressure, just bake the fruit and serve warm with vanilla ice cream, however it really is worth adding the filling and topping with creamy crusty meringue," so says Mercy Fenton in her weekly column.

Ingredients (4 portions)

4 large, ripe peaches

45gr soft butter

3 tablespoons brown sugar

¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Pinch of nutmeg

Pinch of salt

Twist of freshly ground black pepper

Vanilla ice cream, for serving

Method

• Preheat oven to 160C.
• Cut the nectarines in half and remove the stones.
• Arrange on a large baking sheet or Pyrex dish, with the cavity facing up.
• Place a small piece of butter in the centre of each peach.
• Combine brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and black pepper in a small bowl. Sprinkle mixture over peaches.
• Bake for 8-12 minutes, or until peaches are tender and golden, then remove from the oven.
• Fill the peaches with mixed berries or lemon curd.
• Next, prepare the Italian meringue.
• Turn the oven up to 180C.
• Using a piping bag or large spoon, top the nectarines with the meringue, making sure to come down the sides the keep the fruit in.
• Place in the oven on the top shelf and bake for 10 to 12 minutes until golden all over and lightly crisped.
• Serve hot with some of the tray juices and ice cream.
• Italian meringue

Ingredients

200g granulated sugar

90ml water

90g free range egg whites (about 3 medium egg whites)

Method:

In a medium-sized saucepan, combine the sugar and water. Heat over low heat, stirring until the sugar has dissolved.

Once the sugar has dissolved, turn the heat to medium-high and allow the syrup to come to a boil.

In the meantime, put the egg whites in a bowl of an electric mixer and whisk until foamy and the whites are almost able to hold soft peaks.

Once the syrup is boiling, cook until the syrup reaches 116C (use a sugar thermometer).

Then take the pan off the heat and slowly drizzle the hot syrup into the bowl with the foamy egg whites, whisking continuously to prevent the eggs from scrambling.

Once all the syrup has been added, keep whisking until the bottom of the bowl feels cool to the touch and the meringue has cooled down to body temperature.

Allow to cool slightly for a few minutes, then serve with cream or ice cream