Ingredients
6 egg whites
375g of caster sugar
1 tsp white wine vinegar
1 tbsp cornflour

Nectarines
500mI of white wine
200ml of water
2 strips of lemon peel
120g of caster sugar
1 vanilla pod
4 ripe nectarines

Mascarpone cream
200g of mascarpone
150ml of double cream
2 tbsp icing sugar
Basil leaves, to garnish

Equipment needed
Stand mixer

Method
Preheat an oven to 150c.

Using a stand mixer, whisk the egg whites on a medium speed to stiff peaks, this will take 3-5 minutes.  Once you have the stiff peaks, add the sugar a little at a time, whisking as you go until thick and glossy. Once all of the sugar is in, add the vinegar and cornflour and mix for a further minute.

Spoon the meringue onto a baking tray lined with a silpat liner or baking paper. Use a spatula to shape it into a large circle roughly the size of a dinner plate and piled high with a slight dip in the middle. Put into the oven and immediately reduce the temperature to 120c.  Bake for 1 hour 20 minutes, then turn off the oven and leave the meringue inside to cool.

Meanwhile, put the wine, water, lemon peel and caster sugar into a small saucepan that is just big enough to hold the nectarines in a single layer. Bring the syrup to the boil, stirring until the sugar has dissolved, then reduce to a simmer. Cut a small cross in the base of the nectarines and carefully put them into the syrup for 15-20 minutes until the fruit is tender.

Remove the nectarines with a slotted spoon into a bowl and leave to cool slightly.  Carefully peel off the skins from the fruit and return the skins to the pan.  The skins will help give the syrup a beautiful pink colour. Bring to a fast boil and cook for around 5 minutes until the liquid has reduced by a third. Take off of the heat and strain through a fine sieve and leave to cool.

When ready to eat, cut the poached nectarines into wedges, discarding the stone.

Put the mascarpone into a stand mixer and just whip for a few seconds until soft.  Add the cream and icing sugar and whip together using until they form soft peaks. 

Put the meringue to a serving plate and top with the mascarpone cream. Arrange slices of the nectarines on top and drizzle with the syrup.