Chilli Salt Meringue with Caramelised Mango

Serves: 4
Moderate
Time: 2 hours + cooling

INGREDIENTS:

4 egg whites, at room temperature 
¾ cup caster sugar
½ teaspoon cream of tartar
½ teaspoon chilli powder
1 teaspoon sea salt flakes
4 mango cheeks
2 tablespoons mezcal or tequila
½ cup brown sugar 
micro mint leaves, to serve
¾ cup mascarpone

METHOD:

1. Preheat oven to 140°C (120°C fan-forced) and line a large baking tray with baking paper. Using an electric stand mixer, beat the egg whites in a clean, dry mixing bowl until soft peaks form. While still beating, gradually add the caster sugar one tablespoon at a time, allowing enough time for it to dissolve before adding the next. Once all the sugar has dissolved you should have a lovely, glossy meringue mixture. Add the cream of tartar and beat for another 30 seconds.

2. Using a piping bag fitted with a 1cm plain nozzle, pipe the meringue mixture onto the prepared tray into eight 10cm circles, leaving space between each meringue for expansion. Sprinkle each meringue with chilli powder and sea salt flakes. Bake for 1½ hours, then turn off the oven and leave the meringues to cool slowly with the door closed—this will ensure they don’t collapse and crack!

3. Close to serving time, preheat an oven grill to medium. Place the mango cheeks, skin side down, onto a foil-lined baking tray. Combine the mezcal and brown sugar, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Spoon evenly over the cut surface of each mango cheek. Grill for 10 minutes or until caramelised.

4. Serve the meringues and mango with mint, mascarpone and a drizzle of the brown sugar caramel left over from the mango.
   

Chill out and be patient with meringue. Always allow it to cool in the oven once the cooking process has finished. Taking a meringue out of the oven instantly after cooking can cause it to collapse and crack...kind of like a certain pop star who shaved her head and threw an umbrella at the paparazzi in 2007.