Damson mess

Preheat the oven to 200°C/gas mark 6

Place the hazelnuts on a baking tray and toast in the preheated oven for 5–10 minutes, or until golden. Set aside to cool and reduce the oven temperature to 170°C/gas mark 4

Add the egg whites to the bowl of an electric mixer and whisk on high speed until stiff peaks form

Gradually add the sugar, a spoonful at a time, whisking well between each addition. When all the sugar has been added, scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula. Add the vinegar and whisk for another 6–8 minutes until the mixture is stiff and glossy

Roughly chop the hazelnuts in half and fold 80g of them gently into the meringue, reserving 20g to garnish

Line a large baking tray with baking paper and dollop large spoonfuls of mixture onto the paper, leaving some space for them to expand in the oven. Bake for 1 hour, remove from the oven and allow to cool

Meanwhile, prepare the damson sauce by placing the damsons and the sugar in a small saucepan over a low heat. When the fruit has completely broken down, pass it through a sieve into a small bowl. Discard the stones and skins

When you are ready to serve, whip the cream until soft peaks form and break up the meringue into bite-size pieces. Loosely fold the meringue into the cream and add a spoonful to a glass serving dish, or individual glasses

Drizzle over some damson sauce and add another layer of cream and meringue mix. Repeat, alternating with meringue and sauce until you have filled the dish or individual glasses

Top with the reserved nuts and serve