6-8 ripe pears peeled but left whole with stalks intact
4 1/2 cups approx apple juice
6 egg whites
2 cups Chelsea Caster Sugar

Cook pears in apple juice until tender but firm. Slice off the bottom of each pear so they can stand in an oven dish well spaced. Whisk egg whites until stiff. Beat in 1 tablespoon of the sugar at a time until smooth and glossy. Place mixture in piping bag and pipe around each pear, starting from the base and working upwards. You can leave the stalk poking out of the meringue. Bake for 30-40 minutes at 130°C until meringue is crisp and a pale golden colour.

Serve hot or cold with whipped cream or ice-cream.

Jo Seager’s Tips: Egg whites freeze really well. The ice tray makes an ideal container - one egg white per section. If you mix them, an average egg white is 60ml.