MrsL's almost self-reliant adaptable pudding.............

This is rather good - tastes just as good as it looks! Very easy too, which is what we want.


Make some hazelnut meringue - 4 egg whites (large), beaten until very stiff, with 1 tbsp sugar incorporated. Fold in about 2 oz of toasted, chopped hazelnuts. Bake in the same way you make your meringues, then leave to cool. When cool, crumble into a large carton of double cream whipped until it holds its shape, and add a good handful of fresh raspberries; fold in gently, preserving the lovely marbled effect.
Chill until ready to serve.

The adaptable bit? Make the hazelnut meringue in two lightly oiled sandwich tins, turn out to cool when baked. Spread one half with whipped double cream, add the raspberries and place the other half on top. Chill for a couple of hours, then slice to serve.
Or how about a pavlova? Make the meringue into a pavlova shape, bake until crisp, then fill with the cream and the raspberries.
Or make into individual meringues for an autumnal afternoon tea?

The almost self-reliant bit? The eggs are from my own hens; the raspberries, Autumn Bliss, picked fresh from the garden this morning after the dew had dried on them; the hazelnuts were from one of my trees in the garden which gave an excellent crop this year - shelled and toasted in a dry frying pan over a high heat until just coloured, then chopped fairly roughly. Still working on the cream , but if I get the goats organised next year - who knows?? LOL