Verjuice, white port & rose jelly vacherin
This recipe is from Eat Local: Food, Farming and Conversation in the Scenic Rim and uses Bunjurgen Estate Vineyard’s verjuice and white port to make a jelly, which forms the base and garnish of these vacherin-inspired, decadent trifles.
Serves 6
Jelly
5 x 3 g titanium-strength gelatine sheets or similar
375 ml Bunjurgen Estate verjuice
300 ml Bunjurgen Estate white port
10 ml (1 capful) rosewater
80 g golden castor sugar
Meringue
3 free-range egg whites (Try Tamborine Mountain Free Range Eggs, Ayton Farm, or Allamburra)
pinch sea salt
150 g golden castor sugar
1 vanilla bean, seeds scraped, or 1 teaspoon of
vanilla bean paste
120 g icing sugar, sifted
2 tablespoons cornflour, sifted
300 ml double cream
1 honeydew melon, cut in half and seeds removed
A festive summer dessert featuring Bunjurgen Estate verjuice and white port.
Method
To make the jelly, lightly oil a small, shallow silicone jelly mould (about 20 x 30 cm) or a baking tray.
Soak the gelatin sheets in a bowl of cold water until soft, for about 5 minutes. Heat the verjuice, port, rosewater and sugar in a small saucepan over a low heat. Gently squeeze the water from the softened gelatin sheet and add to the verjuice liquid, and stir until dissolved. Strain and cool to room temperature. Select six tall glasses and pour 80 mls of jelly into each. Place the glasses on a tray and refrigerate. Pour the remaining jelly into the silicone mould or onto the baking tray and refrigerate until set.
To make the meringue, preheat the oven to 120°C. Grease a baking tray and line with baking paper. Pour the egg whites into the bowl of a stand mixer with a whisk attached and add the salt. Whisk on a low–medium speed to form soft peaks. While the mixer is running, rain the castor sugar gradually into the egg whites, then whisk until glossy and firm, for about 5–8 minutes. Add the vanilla and whisk for 30 seconds. Remove and use a large metal kitchen spoon to gently fold through the icing sugar and cornflour. Scoop the egg white onto the baking tray and use a spatula to spread evenly. Bake for 1 hour or until firm, preferably before the meringue colours. Remove the meringue from the oven to cool completely, then crush into rough pieces and set aside.
To build the vacherin, remove the glasses and mould or tray from the fridge. Remove the jelly from the tray and roughly chop, then set aside. Scoop balls from the melon using a melon baller, and set aside. Place some crushed pieces of meringue on top of the jelly in the glasses.
Carefully place a few teaspoons of double cream on top of the meringue, then place some melon balls in the glass and finish with a spoonful of chopped jelly.
Serve with chilled white port.
