Mont blanc

Instructions

1. Step 1

   Whisk the egg whites until they start to stiffen, then slowly add in the sugars. Continue whisking until glossy and stiff

2. Step 2

   Add the cornflour and a dash of white wine vinegar, then whisk on full speed for 5 seconds to fully combine, and transfer into a piping bag

3. Step 3

   Preheat the oven to 110°C

4. Step 4

   Line a tray with baking paper (or use a non-stick baking mat) and pipe 6 meringues onto it, each around 10cm in diameter

5. Step 5

   Cook the meringues for around 90 minutes - they should be crispy on the outside but still a little gooey in the middle

6. Step 6

   To make the chestnut cream, place all the  ingredients into a large pot and simmer for an hour or so until the chestnuts have become very tender. Blend and place into a piping bag

7. Step 7

   Pour 450ml of Pedro Ximenez into a pan and reduce by half. Pour this into a squeezy bottle

8. Step 8

   Chop the prunes, and mix with the remaining 50ml of Pedro Ximenez

9. Step 9

   Turn the oven up to 160°C

10. Step 10

    Chop the cooked chestnuts. Melt the butter in a pan and heat it until it turns nutty brown. Coat the chestnuts in the melted butter, and dust heavily with icing sugar. Toast in an oven at 160c for 10 minutes, until crunchy. Drain on some kitchen paper

11. Step 11

    To serve, pipe the chestnut cream onto the meringue. Place a spoonful of chopped prunes on top, plus a handful of toasted chestnuts. Drizzle the reduced Pedro Ximenez over. Dust with icing sugar, and serve