Spiced Apple Mergingue: oh my!

I made a new friend on the weekend! How exciting is that!

This dessert was the final course of lunch w/ my new friend, who happens to be gluten intolerant.

As I have previously posted, I am not a fan of gluten free flours etc, they just don't work as well, and frankly I don't see the point of 'imitation'. Either go whole hog, or don't bother.

So what could I do w/ winter fruit, and no flour?

Stew some apples w/ cinnamon & cloves (am reluctant to call it 'stewed apples', but that, effectively, is what it is), pop stiff eggwhites on top, and put the whole thing in the oven.

Spiced Apple Meringue

 4 apples, peeled & cored (I used Granny Smiths)

1 cinnamon stick (or 1 tsp of ground cinnamon)
4 whole cloves (or 1/4 tsp ground cloves)
4 eggwhites
50g + 3tbs sugar

Grease an 1.5ltr oven proof dish w/ butter & set aside. Preheat your oven  to 150'c.

Put the apples, 50g of sugar in a saucepan w/ 2 tbs of cold water, and gently cook, stirring ti dssolve the sugar, at which point you add add the cinnamon & cloves. Keep the heat on med-low, and pop the lid on the pot.

Whisk your eggwhites until peaks form, then, w/ the motor still running, add the 3 tbs of sugar, one tablespoon at a time, making sure each tablespoon is well incorporated in between. Keep beating until stiff peaks form, and the eggwhites are glossy.

  

 I left my apples to infuse overnight, but this isn't really necessary (though it did give them a wonderful flavour). If using the cinnamon stick & whole cloves, pick them out, then line the base of your ovenproof dish w/ the apples, then spoon the stiff eggwhites on top.

Pop into the oven, and bake for 25 - 30 mins, or until the meringue is puffed up & golden.

Serve immediately, as the meringue will deflate when removed from the oven.

I served it w/ thick cream, though vanilla ice-cream, or even custard, would work very well too.