Meringue Tower

Method:

Measure cold tap water into a medium mixing bowl.

Sprinkle contents of pack over the water, add cream cheese and beat slowly until well blended.

In a smaller mixing bowl whip the cream until firm.

Add to the cheesecake mix and fold in by hand or beat in on slow speed only, until blended.

Spray the inside of a 1 litre yoghurt container with a non-stick spray.

Decant the cheesecake mixture into a 1 litre empty yoghurt container and refrigerate overnight.

Adjust the oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 120 °C.

Line two baking sheets with non-stick baking paper and draw a 22 cm circle on one of the baking paper linings.

Separate the eggs. The whites go into a spotlessly clean, large glass (not plastic) mixing bowl.

Wipe the bowl out with the cut side of the lemon half.

Reserve the yolks to make an egg custard, mayonnaise or to add to scrambled eggs or mashed potatoes.

Beat the egg whites with the electric beater on high speed.

Beat until the whites stand up in soft peaks.

Do not add castor sugar until this soft peak stage. Now gradually add the castor sugar little by little while beating on high speed. You will end up with a snow-white, thick and shiny meringue.

Add the pink colour and fold in with a spatula until lightly streaked through the meringue.

Spoon and spread half of the meringue mixture onto baking paper, filling the 22 cm circle.

Shape ⅔ of the remaining meringue with two tablespoons to make big, free-form meringues.

Place on second baking sheet. Shape the other ⅓ with two dessertspoons to make slightly smaller meringues.

Bake base and individuals together in the fan oven.

Bake at 120 °C for 20 minutes, reduce temperature to 100 °C and dry the meringues out for a further 1 hour, remove the smaller meringues after 40 minutes.

Switch off the oven and leave the meringues and base to cool down in the oven.

Place the flat base on a cake stand.

Punch a hole in the bottom of the yoghurt container to release the airlock, loosen the sides with a knife.

Turn the cheesecake out in the middle of the meringue base.

Whip the cream and use it as ‘glue’ to attach the meringues, fruit and flowers to the cheesecake.

Rough up the outside of the cheesecake and build a tower starting with big meringues and ending with smaller ones.

Decorate with fruit and flowers and dust with icing sugar.

Can be assembled 6 - 8 hours before serving.