BARKER’S TROPICAL MERINGUE TORTE

March 4, 2024
BARKER’S TROPICAL

Serves 10 people
40 mins Prep
75 mins Cook

Dive into the taste of summer with this fresh, tropical dessert. Every bite is a mini vacation for your taste buds.

By Josie Wells

INGREDIENTS

MERINGUE

  • 6 Egg white
  • 1 + 2/3 cups Caster sugar
  • 1 Tbsp Cornflour
  • 1/2 Tbsp White vinegar
  • 1 tsp Vanilla extract

FILLING

  • 300 ml Cream
  • 2 Tbsp Icing sugar
  • 350 g thick Greek yoghurt (vanilla or passionfruit flavoured)
  • 1/2 cup

ASSEMBLY

  • 130g
  • 1 can Sliced peaches in juice, well drained
  • 1 Fresh mango, sliced
  • 250 g Strawberries or raspberries (mixture of sliced and whole)

METHOD

MERINGUE

  • Preheat oven to 150°C bake / 130°C fan bake. Line three baking trays with baking paper. Trace a 20cm circle on each sheet of paper, then flip the paper over.
  • Place egg whites in a large bowl and beat on high speed until soft peaks form (1 1/2 minutes). Continue beating while adding sugar a tablespoon at a time (approximately 4 minutes).
  • Beat for a further 7-8 minutes, until mixture is stiff and glossy, and no longer grainy. Sift in cornflour and add vinegar and vanilla. Beat to just combine.
  • Divide the meringue mixture between the three circles and spread out evenly inside the outlines.
  • Place trays in oven, then immediately turn the temperature down to 120ºC bake / 100ºC fan bake. Bake for 45 minutes, then switch the trays around and bake for a further 30 minutes, until meringues are crisp. Turn oven off, prop the door ajar and leave for at least an hour, until cool. Once cool, transfer meringues to an airtight container until ready to assemble.

FILLING

Place cream and icing sugar in a large bowl. Beat until soft peaks form. Add yoghurt and whip until just combined. Swirl through the passionfruit curd.

ASSEMBLY

Place one of the meringue layers on a serving plate. Spread with one third of the filling. Top with a third of the peaches, mango and sliced strawberries. Drizzle with a third of the compote. Repeat to form three layers, adding the whole strawberries on top.

TIPS

  • Try fitting 2 x 20cm circles on one baking tray if you can – less trays in the oven means more even cooking of the meringue.
  • This torte looks best when freshly assembled. Leftovers still taste great the next day!
  • Make sure you use maize cornflour if you need this to be gluten free.