Redcurrant meringue cake

Sometimes I think redcurrants should be our national fruit. I don’t think you’ll find such a beautiful, intense red in many other fruits, and the combination of sweet meringue and tart currants is simply unbeatable. Whatever kind of cake they appear in, they always steal the show. Currants are also naturally rich in pectin, which means they hold up well during baking, and they freeze beautifully too. It’s well worth freezing some for later – they’ll be just the thing in winter when you’re craving a taste of summer. This time, I wanted to bring back a taste of childhood spent in Poland… Crisp shortbread pastry, tart currant filling and sweet, crunchy meringue make a combination that’s hard to resist. Highly recommended!

Ingredients for the shortcrust base:

• 250 g plain flour
• 125 g cold butter, cut into cubes
• 100 g icing sugar
• ½ tsp baking powder
• a pinch of salt
• 1 tbsp sour cream
• 4 egg yolks, from large eggs

Sift the flour and baking powder, add the butter and quickly chop with a knife until the mixture resembles crumble. Add the egg yolks, sugar, salt and sour cream and quickly bring together into a dough (you can also use a food processor). Shape the dough into a ball (it will be sticky, so dust it lightly with flour), wrap in cling film and chill in the fridge for 30–60 minutes.

Grease a 32 x 22 cm baking tin (bottom measurements) with butter and line with baking paper. Transfer the dough to the baking paper and, dipping your hands in flour from time to time to prevent sticking, press it evenly over the base and smooth the surface. Prick lightly with a fork. Chill in the fridge again for 30 minutes.

Bake at 180ºC for about 18–20 minutes, until lightly golden.

Ingredients for the currant filling:

• 800 g redcurrants (or red and blackcurrants in any proportion)
• 2½ tbsp potato starch

Remove the stalks from the currants. Place the currants and potato starch in a bowl and mix together.

Ingredients for the meringue:

• 4 egg whites, from large eggs
• a pinch of salt
• 200 g caster sugar
• 1 tsp potato starch
• ½ cup flaked almonds, for sprinkling

All ingredients for the meringue should be at room temperature.

Place the egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer and start whisking. Once they begin to foam slightly, add the salt and continue whisking. When the egg whites are stiff, gradually add the sugar, one tablespoon at a time, whisking thoroughly after each addition. You should have a thick, glossy meringue. Add the sifted potato starch and gently fold in with a spatula.

Spread the currant filling over the pre-baked base, which can still be hot, and level the surface. Spread the meringue over the top, then sprinkle with the flaked almonds.

Place the cake in an oven preheated to 180ºC and immediately reduce the temperature to 140ºC. Bake for about 1 hour, until the meringue is crisp on top. Once baked, leave the cake in the switched-off oven as it cools until completely cold.

Store the currant and meringue cake at room temperature.

Enjoy!