Ingredients
Candied carrots:
• 200g carrots, peeled and julienned
• 150g caster sugar
• 150ml water
Orange jelly:
• 2 large oranges
• 2 gelatine leaves
Meringue topping:
• 2 eggs, white only
• 110g caster sugar
Preparation method
Candied carrots:
- Place the carrots, sugar and water in a large saucepan and place over a gently heat. Stirring occasionally to help melt the sugar, bring to the boil and then simmer for around 10 minutes so that they look shiny. Drain them straight away in a sieve that’s set over a bowl, drain the syrup from the carrots and reserve both.
- Halve the oranges and juice them carefully. You want to maintain their shape as they will act as the jelly containers. Strain the juice through a sieve and set to one side.
- Use a teaspoon to scoop or pull the inside membrane out of the orange halves, until you are left with just a thin layer of pith and the skin. Take a little slice out of the base of each orange half so that it sits upright.
Orange jelly:
- Soak the gelatine in a bowl of cold water for five minutes. Meanwhile, mix the carrot syrup with the squeezed orange juice and place in a small saucepan and heat very gently until just warm (not hot). Squeeze out the soaked gelatine sheets and stir them into the jelly liquid, keep stirring until dissolved.
- Mould some aluminium foil around the base of the orange to help make them sit straight. Place on a tray and take them to the fridge with the jelly mixture – pour the jelly into the moulds while they’re on the fridge shelf so you minimise how far you need to move the filled jelly moulds.
- Divide some of the candied carrots between the orange skins. Leave to set in the fridge for at least four hours or overnight.
Meringue topping:
- When you are ready to serve, preheat the oven to 110°C (90°C fan).
- Spread the sugar out on a baking tray and place in the oven for about 10 minutes.
- Whisk the eggs until frothy and add the hot sugar, one spoonful at a time, until thoroughly incorporated. Continue to whisk until totally cool and glossy.
- Place the meringue in a piping bag and snip off the end to create an opening about 3cm/1.2in in diameter. Pipe a large dollop of meringue onto the top of each orange jelly. Use a blowtorch to lightly brown the tip of the meringue. Decorate with a few strips of the candied carrot.