Pecan Toffee Meringue with Mulled Pears

Ingredients

Contains: egg, milk, tree nuts (auto-detected from the ingredients and method; we can miss things, so check labels)

• 600ml mulled wine, ready made from a bottle
• 6 small, ripe, shapely pears, peeled, quartered and cored
• 50g golden caster sugar
• 225g golden caster sugar
• 1½ tsp cornflour
• 4 large egg whites
• 1½ tsp wine vinegar
• 50g pecans, roughly chopped
• 500g tub Greek yogurt
• 4 tbsp dulce de leche (we used Merchant Gourmet)
• extra toasted pecans (optional)

Directions

Method written by CompKitchen from the ingredient list. Not the original author's method, not kitchen-tested.

1. Heat the oven to 120°C (250°F) and line a baking sheet with baking paper. Draw a 9-inch circle on the paper as a guide for the meringue.

2. Put the mulled wine and pears in a saucepan and simmer gently for 15 to 20 minutes, turning once, until the pears are just tender. Leave them to cool in the liquid.

3. Put the 50g golden caster sugar and the chopped pecans in a dry frying pan over medium heat. Stir constantly until the sugar melts and turns golden, about 3 to 4 minutes.

4. Tip the pecan toffee onto baking paper, spread it out and leave to cool and harden. Break it into rough pieces once cold.

5. Whisk the egg whites in a clean bowl until soft peaks form. Add the 225g golden caster sugar a spoonful at a time, whisking until thick and glossy.

6. Fold in the cornflour and wine vinegar. Spread the meringue inside the drawn circle and bake for 1 hour, then turn off the oven and leave the meringue inside to cool completely.

7. Beat the Greek yogurt until smooth. Swirl in the dulce de leche lightly so it marbles through the yogurt without fully blending.

8. Break the cooled meringue into large pieces. Drain the pears, reserving a little of the wine for drizzling if you like. Layer the meringue, yogurt, pears and pecan toffee in bowls, and scatter with the optional extra toasted pecans.