Hazelnut meringue with blackcurrant sauce

Preheat the oven to Gas mark 5/190ºC.

Line the sides and bottoms of two 18cm/7in sandwich tins with silicone paper.  Whisk the egg whites until stiff.  Gradually whisk in the sugar, a tablespoon at a time, the mixture should stand in stiff peaks.  Add the vanilla sugar and vinegar and carefully fold in the ground hazelnuts.  Place the mixture in the prepared tins and level the top.  Bake for 30-40 minutes.  When cooked the meringue will be crisp on top but soft in the centre.  Cool on a wire rack.

Place the blackcurrants in a saucepan with the sugar and a little water.  Simmer gently until they are tender.  Pass through a fine sieve and add more sugar if necessary.  Allow to cool and place in a jug.

Whisk the cream until it will hold soft peaks.  Sandwich the two hazelnut meringue halves together with this and place on a serving plate – dust with icing sugar.  Serve the blackcurrant sauce separately.

NB The meringue will be easier to serve if it is sandwiched together 2-3 hours in advance.  The serving plate can be flooded with the blackcurrant sauce if preferred, but the meringue must then be served immediately or it will absorb the sauce.