Liam Charles’s Exotic Fruity Meringue Bombes

Method

Step 1
Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/350°F/Gas 4. Lightly oil the outside dome of each half sphere mould and line a baking sheet with baking parchment.

Step 2
For the meringue, in a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whisk the egg whites until they form stiff peaks. Gradually add the caster sugar while whisking on a high speed, continuing until all of the sugar is fully incorporated.

Step 3
Sift the icing sugar over the meringue and fold in using a rubber spatula, being careful not to knock out the air.

Step 4
Remove 1 tbsp of the meringue and place into a separate small bowl, then colour this with a drop of green gel food colouring. Colour the remaining meringue with a few drops of yellow gel food colouring.

Step 5
Transfer the yellow meringue to a piping bag fitted with a large open star nozzle. Pipe rings of stars around the lightly oiled upturned half sphere moulds, starting at the base and working up to the top, being careful not to leave any gaps. On 3 pineapple halves, leave a small hole at the top for the pineapple leaves.

Step 6
Transfer the green meringue into a piping bag without a nozzle. Pipe abstract spikes onto the lined baking sheet, creating three pineapple leaves.

Step 7
Bake the meringue pineapples and leaves on the lowest rack of the oven for 25 minutes. After 15 minutes, rotate the pineapples so that they colour evenly. The meringue should be crisp and dry, but not browned.

Step 8
Gently remove the pineapple halves from their moulds and cool.

Step 9
For the mango and passion fruit cream, whip the double cream to very soft peaks before gently folding through the mango puree and passion fruit seeds.

Step 10
Take three pineapple halves and use a serrated knife to finely shave the bottom of each one so they sit flat.

Step 11
Spoon the cream into all six pineapple halves, then sandwich together to create three pineapples and finish with the pineapple leaves.