Messy eatin

Roasted pineapple

½	Pineapple (Main)
1 tsp	Oil
½ tsp	Dark sugar, e.g. coconut or muscovado

Kaffir lime custard

200 ml	Milk
300 ml	Cream
6	Kaffir lime leaves, lightly crushed (Main)
1	Vanilla pod, scraped and seeds discarded
5	Egg yolks
100 g	Sugar

Brown sugar meringue

150 ml	Egg whites, approx. 5-6 eggs
250 g	Soft brown sugar

Directions

For the roasted pineapple

1. Preheat oven to 180*C.
2. Using a sharp knife, slice skin off pineapple. Cut pineapple in half lengthways and remove core. Slice each half thinly.
3. Lightly oil a roasting tray and lay out pineapple pieces in a single layer. Sprinkle with sugar and roast for 20 minutes.
4. Remove from oven and allow to cool.

For the kaffir lime custard

1. Place milk and cream in a heavy-based saucepan with vanilla pod and kaffir lime leaves. Heat to boiling then remove from heat.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together egg yolks and sugar until light and creamy. Slowly whisk in hot milk and cream.
3. Place in a clean saucepan and stir over a low heat until the mixture coats the back of a wooden spoon.
4. Transfer to a jug and cool in fridge.

For the brown sugar meringue

1. Preheat oven to 150*C.
2. Using whisk attachment in an electric mixer, whisk egg whites until soft peaks form. Gradually add half the sugar while whisking, until the whites become stiff and glossy.
3. Using a metal spoon, fold in remaining sugar.
4. Line a 20 x 30cm sponge roll tin with baking paper, dotting a little of the meringue mix between the tray and the paper to keep it in place. Spoon meringue onto tray and spread out thinly. Bake for 25 minutes, remove from oven and leave to cool.
5. Once cool, break into large, rough chunks.

To serve

1. Assemble the three components of the dessert in layers (Eton Mess style), finishing with shards of broken meringue.

See more of Mike's winter entertaining recipes

• Sticky ribs
• Hot cucumber salad