The first photograph is just a sample of the 50 ivory coloured meringues that I baked today in preparation for our Orthodox Christmas lunch on Tuesday. The recipe comes from my well thumbed copy of Nigella Lawson’s cookbook, How to be a Domestic Goddess and ALWAYS turns out a treat. 

The first trick is to add the sugar gradually and beat it in well so that your final raw mixture is glossy and smooth, and resembles bridal gown satin, as pictured below. The second trick is to keep the completed crisp meringues far, far away from little hands who simply can not resist the temptation to try 1, or 2 or more. It is always worthwhile making extras for exactly this reason. 


Meringues make a marvellous addition to a dessert buffet for large family gatherings, as they can be made several days in advance – provided they are stored in an airtight container – which cuts down on home cooking tasks on the actual day of the event. They look especially decadent and appealing when arranged in a tumbled, tower-like fashion in a pretty porcelain bowl, waiting to be plucked out and enjoyed. Provide a bowl of whipped cream and a platter of fresh fruit and allow guests to create their own deconstructed mini pavlovas. 

I strongly recommend using a piping bag with a wide fluted nozzle to transfer the raw meringue to the baking trays. It just makes the whole process so much faster with a more professional finish. I made these in the short gap between my baby waking and needing his next feed, so I had to be quick. In fact I ended up popping Maksim on his comfy rug on the wide bench-top, as I stood next to him. He was happy gurgling away as the KitchenAid hummed in the background and I was happy, because I could keep an eye on him and cross this bit of baking bliss off my list of “things to do”.

Since Maksim was settled at the time, I then made the Damp Chocolate Loaf pictured at the top of this page (another excellent Nigella recipe) for my friend Jo who describes chocolate as, “the elixir of life!” This cake which is dense and magnificently moist, slices beautifully and doesn’t need even a hint of icing. It is also a perfect way to test Jo’s theory, but it may take more than simply a single slice…


I was meant to serve these Maple Glazed Roasted Sweet Potatoes with dinner but mistakenly left them in the oven after it had been turned off. At least they can be gently reheated for lunch tomorrow. Drizzling a tablespoon of maple syrup over root vegetables in the last 10 minutes of roasting, adds a light caramelised look and flavour to the dish. This is lovely served with fat fillets of barbecued fish.