Maple Caramel Meringues with Coffee Mascarpone Filling Recipe

Maple Caramel Meringues with Coffee Mascarpone Filling Recipe

A perfect balance of flavours with a slightly bitter espresso filling and a sweet and salted maple caramel. It is a decadent dessert you will not want to put down.

Ingredients

• For the Salted Maple Caramel
• 260g Pure Maple Syrup, Dark Robust
• 30g unsalted butter
• 60ml double cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• For the Meringues
• 3 egg whites, at room temperature
• 175g caster sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 6 tablespoons salted maple caramel
• For the Coffee Mascarpone
• 2 tablespoons instant espresso powder
• 1 1/2 tablespoons hot water
• 300g mascarpone cheese
• 175ml double cream
• 3 tablespoons Pure Maple Syrup, Dark Robust
• 3 tablespoons icing sugar
• For the Topping
• 1 banana, sliced
• Drizzle of maple caramel
• 70g chocolate chips, melted
• Dusting of cocoa powder
• Handful of chopped walnuts

Instructions

1. Start by making the salted maple caramel. Attach a candy thermometer to the side of a deep, heavy saucepan. Heat the maple syrup over a medium heat until it reaches 110C (230F).
2. Remove from the heat, add the butter, and stir gently. Stir in the cream and vanilla, then mix in the salt. Leave to cool, then refrigerate.
3. To make the meringues, preheat the oven to 140C (120C fan, Gas Mark 1). Whisk the egg whites in a large bowl until soft peaks form. Add the sugar 1 tablespoon at a time, whisking continuously until the mixture is glossy and holds stiff peaks. Add the vanilla and combine.
4. Line a large baking tray with parchment paper, securing the corners with a little meringue. Spoon 6 well-spaced mounds of meringue onto the tray. Make a small well in the centre of each meringue with the back of a teaspoon, then add a little cooled maple caramel. Swirl gently with a toothpick, keeping a raised wall of meringue around the edge so the caramel does not spill out. Bake on the middle shelf for 1 hour 15 minutes, then turn off the oven and leave the meringues inside for 4 hours. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Meringues can be made in advance and stored for several days in an airtight container.
5. For the coffee mascarpone, mix the espresso powder with the hot water and leave to cool. Whisk the cooled coffee mixture with the mascarpone, double cream, maple syrup, and icing sugar until smooth. Refrigerate until needed.
6. To serve, place a meringue on a plate and add a generous dollop of coffee mascarpone. Top with banana slices, a drizzle of maple caramel, and melted chocolate, then finish with chopped walnuts and a dusting of cocoa powder.