Fig Meringue Cake

200g walnuts, roughly chopped

350g dried figs, finely diced

240g egg whites (7-8 egg whites)

1 lemon zest

2 tsps vanilla bean paste

250g Soft brown sugar

Pinch of salt

250g mascarpone

250 cream

4 fresh figs, sliced

Macerated coffee figs, to garnish

Grease and line a 25cm springform cake tin. Whip the egg whites in a bowl with a pinch of salt until stiff peaks. Slowly add the brown sugar and whip until combined. Fold in the lemon zest, 1 tsp vanilla paste, walnuts and figs. Spoon into the prepared cake tin and bake at 160 for about 40 minutes. Remove and allow to cool.

Whip the cream until firm and add the vanilla, mascarpone and whip until firm. On a cake plate place the cake in the centre, spoon over the cream and garnish with fresh figs and coffee macerated figs.

For the coffee figs, combine 500ml water and 500g of sugar, 1 lemon zest, 2 cinnamon sticks, 25g instant coffee (or more to taste) and 1 vanilla bean and cook until sugar is dissolved. Add 400g dried figs and cook until syrupy. Allow to cool and store in an airtight container in the fridge until ready to use.