Cracker Christmas

'Tis the season for the many wondrous guises of meringue - the light-as-air dessert that dazzles and comforts in equal measure.

- 

Pineapple and spice rum savarin with burnt meringue and makrut lime

SERVES 12 // PREP 2½ HRS // COOK 1½ HRS (PLUS PROVING, COOLING, SOAKING)

This cross-cultural dessert bridges Thai and Italian flavours with a tropical edge. The classic rum baba, adopted by Italy from France, is soaked in rum-laced pineapple syrup, filled with star anise-spiced crème pâtissière, and finished with deeply caramelised meringue.

Makrut lime leaves, for decorating

DOUGH

6 gm dried yeast
20 gm raw sugar
30 ml lukewarm milk
240 gm plain flour
3 eggs, at room temperature, lightly beaten
60 gm softened unsalted butter, diced, plus extra for greasing

STAR ANISE CRÈME PÂTISSIÈRE

500 ml (2 cup) milk
110 gm (½ cup) caster sugar
3 large star anise
½ tsp vanilla bean paste
4 egg yolks
35 gm (¼ cup) cornflour

PINEAPPLE-RUM SOAK

750 ml (3 cups) strained fresh pineapple juice (see note)
300 gm caster sugar
8 makrut lime leaves
Thinly peeled zest of 1 makrut lime
250 ml (1 cup) spiced rum

BURNT SWISS MERINGUE

4 egg whites
220 gm caster sugar
¼ tsp citric acid
1 makrut lime leaf, central vein removed, finely chopped