# What You'll Need:
→ Meringues
01 - 4 large egg whites, room temperature
02 - 1 cup (220 g) caster sugar
03 - 1 teaspoon cornstarch
04 - ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
05 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
06 - ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
07 - ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
→ Poached Pears
08 - 2 ripe pears, peeled, cored, and diced
09 - ¼ cup (60 ml) whisky
10 - ¼ cup (60 ml) water
11 - 3 tablespoons (40 g) brown sugar
12 - 1 cinnamon stick
13 - 3 whole cloves
14 - 1 strip lemon zest
→ Whipped Cream
15 - ¾ cup (200 ml) heavy cream, chilled
16 - 1 tablespoon icing sugar
17 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
→ Garnish
18 - Ground cinnamon to taste
19 - Lemon zest to taste
# How To:
01 - Preheat oven to 250°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - In a clean, dry mixing bowl, whisk egg whites until soft peaks form. Add cream of tartar and whisk to combine.
03 - Gradually add caster sugar one tablespoon at a time, whisking continuously until stiff, glossy peaks form.
04 - Gently fold cornstarch, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and nutmeg into the meringue mixture until evenly distributed.
05 - Spoon or pipe 8 small meringue nests onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing them approximately 2 inches apart.
06 - Bake for 1 hour 15 minutes until crisp and dry. Turn off oven and let meringues cool inside with the door slightly ajar for 30 minutes.
07 - In a saucepan, combine whisky, water, brown sugar, cinnamon stick, cloves, and lemon zest. Bring to a gentle simmer.
08 - Add diced pears to the simmering liquid and cook gently for 10-12 minutes until tender but holding their shape. Remove pears with a slotted spoon and allow to cool. Discard spices and zest.
09 - Beat chilled heavy cream with icing sugar and vanilla extract until soft peaks form. Refrigerate until assembly.
10 - Top each cooled meringue nest with a dollop of whipped cream and spoonfuls of spiced pears. Drizzle lightly with poaching syrup if desired.
11 - Dust with ground cinnamon and lemon zest before serving.
