As sweets go, meringue isn't the most sinful ever to find its way on to a dessert trolley. It is, after all, made from egg whites and sugar, which even allows optimists to describe it as fat-free. This doesn't mean that it's an entirely innocent choice, though - when it comes to the filling, calories and cholesterol levels are often given a hefty boost. A pavlova swathed in layers of Chantilly cream (whipped cream, icing sugar and vanilla) might look and taste wonderful, but this comes at a price if you're trying to be healthy.
Be smart with your filling, though, and a meringue-based dessert can be a lovely, sweet treat that is relatively light on calories and fat. To achieve this, you need to throw any ideas about using double cream out the window: Greek yoghurt or fromage frais is the way to go. Be as generous as you like with the fruit: strawberries and raspberries are lovely and summery, while slices of banana and candied ginger lend a wintry edge.
The recipe below offers a nice alternative to the traditional pavlova. It works really well as a dinner party dessert as it's quite easy to prepare, but still looks impressive. Make the meringue ahead of time and then roll it up with the filling just before you are ready to serve.
Mango and passion fruit roulade
5 medium egg whites
170g caster sugar
1 tsp cornflour
1 tsp lemon juice
200ml low-fat Greek yoghurt
1 mango
3 passion fruit
2 tbsp icing sugar
1 tbsp vegetable oil, for greasing
Heat the oven to 160°C/fan 140/gas 3. Line a baking tray (approximately 35cm x 25cm x 2cm deep) with non-stick parchment paper and oil lightly. Put the egg whites in a dry, very clean bowl. Using an electric whisk, beat the whites to form soft peaks. Gradually add half the caster sugar and continue to whisk for 2 minutes. Mix the corn flour with the remaining sugar and add to the bowl along with the lemon juice. Whisk until the mixture is firm and glossy and resembles shaving foam. Spread the mixture out evenly on the prepared baking tray, place in the oven and cook for 25 minutes. Lay another piece of greaseproof paper out on a clean surface and dust with the icing sugar. Remove the cooked meringue from the oven, allow to cool for 2-3 minutes, then carefully turn out on to the prepared baking sheet. Leave to cool completely. Pour the yoghurt into a fine sieve suspended over a bowl and leave to drain for 1 hour - this stops it from being too watery. Peel, stone and thinly slice the mango. Cut the passion fruit in half, strain the seeds and reserve both the seeds and juice. Mix the yoghurt and passion fruit juice together and spread thickly over the meringue, leaving a border of about 2cm. Top with the mango and passion fruit seeds. Roll the meringue up lengthways into a fat cylinder shape. Transfer to a plate and serve.
What is the FNC?
The Federal National Council is one of five federal authorities established by the UAE constitution. It held its first session on December 2, 1972, a year to the day after Federation.
It has 40 members, eight of whom are women. The members represent the UAE population through each of the emirates. Abu Dhabi and Dubai have eight members each, Sharjah and Ras al Khaimah six, and Ajman, Fujairah and Umm Al Quwain have four.
They bring Emirati issues to the council for debate and put those concerns to ministers summoned for questioning.
The FNC’s main functions include passing, amending or rejecting federal draft laws, discussing international treaties and agreements, and offering recommendations on general subjects raised during sessions.
Federal draft laws must first pass through the FNC for recommendations when members can amend the laws to suit the needs of citizens. The draft laws are then forwarded to the Cabinet for consideration and approval.
Since 2006, half of the members have been elected by UAE citizens to serve four-year terms and the other half are appointed by the Ruler’s Courts of the seven emirates.
In the 2015 elections, 78 of the 252 candidates were women. Women also represented 48 per cent of all voters and 67 per cent of the voters were under the age of 40.
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
Cinco in numbers
Dh3.7 million
The estimated cost of Victoria Swarovski’s gem-encrusted Michael Cinco wedding gown
46
The number, in kilograms, that Swarovski’s wedding gown weighed.
1,000
The hours it took to create Cinco’s vermillion petal gown, as seen in his atelier [note, is the one he’s playing with in the corner of a room]
50
How many looks Cinco has created in a new collection to celebrate Ballet Philippines’ 50th birthday
3,000
The hours needed to create the butterfly gown worn by Aishwarya Rai to the 2018 Cannes Film Festival.
1.1 million
The number of followers that Michael Cinco’s Instagram account has garnered.
Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
ESSENTIALS
The flights
Emirates flies from Dubai to Phnom Penh via Yangon from Dh2,700 return including taxes. Cambodia Bayon Airlines and Cambodia Angkor Air offer return flights from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap from Dh250 return including taxes. The flight takes about 45 minutes.
The hotels
Rooms at the Raffles Le Royal in Phnom Penh cost from $225 (Dh826) per night including taxes. Rooms at the Grand Hotel d'Angkor cost from $261 (Dh960) per night including taxes.
The tours
A cyclo architecture tour of Phnom Penh costs from $20 (Dh75) per person for about three hours, with Khmer Architecture Tours. Tailor-made tours of all of Cambodia, or sites like Angkor alone, can be arranged by About Asia Travel. Emirates Holidays also offers packages.
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GOLF’S RAHMBO
- 5 wins in 22 months as pro
- Three wins in past 10 starts
- 45 pro starts worldwide: 5 wins, 17 top 5s
- Ranked 551th in world on debut, now No 4 (was No 2 earlier this year)
- 5th player in last 30 years to win 3 European Tour and 2 PGA Tour titles before age 24 (Woods, Garcia, McIlroy, Spieth)