Banofee Meringue

With so many recipes collected that I have yet to try, some might say I should forgo collecting new ones. But this pudding looked too good an idea. All the flavours of that menu standby and old family favourite, Banoffee Pie, without the sickliness. 

It is very sweet and at first I was not entirely convinced as sharp fruity puds are my most favourite. But it was a real hit with everyone else, so it has earned its place in the record.

Banoffee Meringue

4 egg whites
8 oz light muscavado sugar

1. Whisk the whites till very thick and then whisk in the sugar a teaspoonful at a time till you have a  very stiff billowy mixture - as for all meringues. Use your processor/mixer or an electric whisk if you have one, to avoid real arm-ache.
2. Have ready 2  8'' circles drawn on non stick paper on baking trays and the oven on at No 1 or your lowest setting.
3. Spoon half the mixture on to each circle, being careful not to flatten it, and smooth the tops gently.
4. Now bake for 1 - 1/2 hours till each meringue is dry and firm. Because of the brown sugar this is harder to achieve, I found, and had to re do one of the circles, after leaving them in the turned off oven overnight to continue drying out. They are very sticky meringues even when you have got them dry and this toffeeness is the point!
5. You can keep these in a tin for at least 1 day or freeze them till you need them.

NB You could pipe the mixture in 2 spirals if you are someone who thinks that is worth doing...

Filling:

1/2 pint double cream
1 heaped tsp good instant coffee powder
2 large bananas

1. Whip the cream till thick.
2. Dissolve the coffee powder in as little hot water as possible - a teaspoon or so.
3. When cold, whip into the cream
4. Fold the very thinly sliced bananas straight into the cream.
5. Sandwich the meringues with the coffee banana cream on a pretty dish about 2 hours in advance but not much more, as eventually the bananas will go brown.