Brown sugar meringues with red wine plums

Ingredients

• 1 tsp cornstarch 
• 1 tsp red-wine vinegar 
• 1 tsp vanilla extract 
• 3  egg whites 
• 100 g sugar 
• 50 g g muscovado sugar light
• 200 ml red wine 
• 85 g g muscovado sugar light
• 1  cinnamon sticks 
• 9 large plums ripe halved
• 400 g crème fraîche 

Equipment

• frying pan
• baking sheet
• baking paper
• oven
• whisk
• slotted spoon

Directions

1. Heat oven to 140C/fan 120C/gas
2. Line a large baking sheet with baking paper. Blend together the cornflour, vinegar and vanilla to make a paste.
3. Whisk the egg whites until they are stiff and glossy, then whisk in the sugar in three goes, adding a little paste and whisking back to firm peaks each time. Keep whisking until the meringue is thick and heavy.
4. Spoon six meringue heaps onto the baking sheet, spaced apart, then shape into nests by making dips in the centres with the back of a spoon.
5. Bake for 1 hr, then turn off the oven and leave to cool in the oven for a further hr.
6. Put the wine, sugar and cinnamon stick in a medium pan and bring to the boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar.
7. Add the plums, then poach gently for 4-5 mins until just tender.
8. Remove the plums with a slotted spoon, peel off the skins, then set aside.
9. Increase the heat under the sauce and boil hard until reduced to a thick syrup, about 5 mins.
10. Pour into a jug; leave to cool.
11. To serve, set the meringue nests on serving plates and spoon the crme frache into the centres.
12. Place three plum halves on each and drizzle over the sauce.
13. Serve without delay.