Cookbook Corner - Perfect Plates In 5 Ingredients by John Whaite

Perfect Plates by John Waite
Photography by Helen Cathcart
Published by Kyle Books, priced £18.99.

I have been fondly following John Whaite’s progress since the third series of the Great British Bake-Off. This book, with its focus on recipes that rely on a mere 5 ingredients (over and above his essential store cupboard) is as rich in flavour and flair as his previous two titles; the pared-back approach certainly doesn’t imply any constraints on his creativity. Perhaps, given that this is a cookery book rather than a baking book, I should have selected a savoury, more everyday recipe (and this book has plenty), but I just couldn’t resist his Amaretto Apricots with Brown-Sugar Meringue - any more, I expect, than you will be able to.

Amaretto Apricots With Brown-Sugar Meringue

I love how mouth-puckering and sharp apricots are; they’re pretty much tiny little spheres of punchiness and tang. But sweeten them with a good glug of amaretto (almonds are the perfect counterpart) and top with a caramelised brown-sugar meringue and you have a simple, lavish dessert. When picking your apricots, make sure they are firm and a rich, orangey gold. If they are insipid in colour, they’re bound to be insipid in taste.

Serves 4
12 fresh apricots
90ml amaretto liqueur
195g dark brown muscovado sugar
3 large egg whites
50g flaked almonds, plus extra to scatter
60g unsalted butter

Preheat the oven to 220°C/200°C fan/gas mark 7.

Halve the apricots, remove their stones and place them cutside up in a medium-sized roasting dish. Cut the butter into small dice and sprinkle it over the apricots. Sprinkle over the liqueur and 20g of the sugar and bake for 20–25 minutes, until the apricots soften and just start to colour very slightly.

While the apricots roast, make the meringue. Whisk the egg whites to stiff peaks, then add the remaining sugar a tablespoon at a time whilst whisking constantly until you have a very thick, glossy meringue. I do this on high speed in my freestanding electric mixer fitted with whisk attachment, but it can be done just as easily with a handheld electric mixer. Fold the flaked almonds into the meringue, being careful not to deflate the mixture.

Once the apricots have roasted, randomly splodge the meringue over the top of them and sprinkle over more almonds, then return to the oven for a further 15–20 minutes, until the meringue is coloured and slightly crispy on top, a golden, satin matte.

Variation:
You could experiment with other stone fruits, but try to always select the firmer options as watery fruits could turn into a soggy mess in the heat of the oven.