Rosie’s Salted Caramel, Chocolate & Raspberry Stack

Method

Step 1
Make the salted caramel sauce. Heat the sugar with 1 tablespoon of water and the lemon juice in a small pan on a low heat, shaking the pan occasionally but without stirring, until the sugar dissolves. Then, increase the heat and cook until the sugar turns a golden caramel colour. Remove from the heat and add the butter. Once melted, stir in the cream and salt. Pour into a jug and allow to cool.

Step 2
Make the French meringue discs. Heat the oven to 140°C/120°C fan/275°F/Gas 1. Whisk the egg whites in a stand mixer fitted with the whisk, on medium speed, until they form stiff peaks. Add the sugar, one tablespoon at a time, until the mixture is stiff and glossy. Spread one third of the meringue onto each lined baking tray, spreading within the circles. Drizzle about 2 tablespoons of caramel sauce over each meringue disc and swirl it into the meringue with the cocktail stick. Bake for 2 hours, then turn off the oven, leaving the meringues inside, for a further 30 minutes.

Step 3
Make the crème diplomat. Place the egg yolks, flours and sugar together in a medium bowl and beat with a wooden spoon.

Step 4
Pour the milk into a medium pan and bring to a simmer over a medium heat. Gradually pour on to the egg mixture stirring all the time. Pour everything back into the pan, place over a low heat and stir for about 3–4 minutes, until thick enough that a spoon pulled through the mixture leaves a path. Leave to cool to room temperature, then place in the fridge to chill.

Step 5
Make the raspberry and lime curd. Blend the eggs and raspberries together until smooth, then sieve into a jug to remove the seeds. Place the butter, sugar and lime juice in a glass bowl over a pan of simmering water and heat until the sugar dissolves. Remove from the heat and stir 3 tablespoons into the raspberry and egg mixture, then pour all the egg mixture back into the bowl with the butter and sugar and return to the heat, stirring constantly, for about 15 minutes, until the curd thickens enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon. Pour into a bowl and allow to cool, then chill for 1 hour.

Step 6
Make the chocolate ganache. Pour the cream into a pan over a medium heat and cook until hot but not boiling. Stir in the chocolate and the glucose syrup leave for 5 minutes, then stir until melted.

Step 7
When you’re ready to serve the dessert, whisk the double cream for the crème diplomat to thick peaks, then fold in the chilled custard mixture and the liqueur. Spoon into the piping bag and snip the end to create a 1cm hole.

Step 8
Place one meringue round on a serving plate. Pipe with half the crème diplomat, top with half the raspberries and drizzle with plenty of raspberry curd. Place the second meringue on top and repeat the layers. Finally, spread the third meringue with the ganache and place this on top of the stack. Sprinkle with freeze-dried raspberries, pearl sugar and 3 whole raspberries. Serve immediately.