Fried brioche, vanilla meringue, chantilly cream, fresh berries, hibiscus syrup

Method

For the hibiscus syrup, place the sugar and water in a saucepan over low heat and bring to a simmer. Add the hibiscus flowers, lemon juice and the vanilla seeds and cook for 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside to steep for about 30–40 minutes. Strain the syrup through a fine mesh sieve and set aside to cool. For the chantilly cream, whip all the ingredients until thick and firm peaks form. However, do not overwhip as the mixture can split. Refrigerate until serving. For the vanilla meringue, wipe out the bowl of an electric stand mixer with the white vinegar. Add the egg whites, salt, lemon juice and vanilla seeds to the bowl and beat on low speed to break up the egg whites. Increase the speed to medium when a foam forms. Slowly add the sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the ingredients are totally incorporated. Whisk the mixture on high until thick and glossy. Preheat the oven to 110°C. Cover a baking tray with greaseproof paper, then spoon or pipe the meringue mixture into peaks about 8 cm in diameter. Bake in the oven for 70 minutes, then leave in the oven overnight to dry out. To build the plate, break a meringue open and place it on the fried brioche. Add a quenelle of chantilly cream to sit on top of the meringue. Scatter lots of seasonal berries over the chantilly and drizzle with a little of the hibiscus syrup. Garnish with micro herbs, if desired.