Ingredients

• 6 eggwhites
• 1 1/2 cups (330g) caster sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 teaspoons cornflour
• 1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
• 1 cup small mint leaves
• Good-quality vanilla ice cream, to serve

Mulled fruits

• 6 cardamom pods, bruised
• 6 cloves
• 1 cinnamon quill
• 1 vanilla bean, split, seeds scraped
• 1 cup (250ml) red wine
• 1 cup (220g) caster sugar
• 150g raspberries
• 150g redcurrants (see note)
• 250g strawberries, hulled, halved
• 2 teaspoons arrowroot (see note)

Method

• Step 1 Preheat the oven to 150°C and line 2 baking trays with baking paper.
• Step 2 Whisk the eggwhites and sugar in a heatproof bowl over a pan of gently simmering water (don't let bowl touch water) to dissolve sugar. Pour eggwhite mixture into the bowl of an electric mixer and beat until thick and glossy. Gently fold in vanilla, cornflour and vinegar.
• Step 3 Place 4 dollops of meringue on each baking tray, making a shallow indent in the centre of each with the back of a spoon.
• Step 4 Place in oven, reduce heat to 120°C and bake for 1 hour. Leave in the switched-off oven for 2-3 hours until meringues are dry and oven is completely cool. (They'll keep for up to 2 days in an airtight container.)
• Step 5 Meanwhile, for the mulled fruits, tie cardamom and cloves in a small piece of muslin. Place in a sauecpan with the cinnamon, vanilla, wine and sugar. Stir over low heat to dissolve the sugar, then simmer over medium-low heat for 3-4 minutes until reduced and syrupy. Add berries and simmer for 1 minute. Dissolve arrowroot in 1/3 cup (80ml) cold water. Stir into the syrup and simmer for 1-2 minutes until thickened. Cover and chill until needed, removing spices before serving.To serve, place meringues on plates, top each with a scoop of ice cream, followed by berries and syrup. Garnish with mint.