Recipe adapted from Around the Table by Great British Chefs, available here

Method

• Preheat oven to 120°C. Use an electric whisk to whip the egg whites into stiff peaks, then add the sugar a little at a time, whisking as you go, until thick and glossy. 

• Fold in the vinegar and cornflour, then spoon the meringue on to a tray lined with baking paper. Use a spatula to shape it into a circle around 6cm high with a slight dip in the middle. Bake for 1 hour, then turn off the oven and leave the meringue inside to cool.
• Meanwhile, place the wine, water, lemon peel and caster sugar into a saucepan large enough to hold 2 nectarines in a single layer. Bring to the boil, stirring until the sugar has dissolved, then reduce to a simmer.
• Cut a small cross in the base of 2 of the nectarines, then poach in the liquid for 5-10 minutes, depending on ripeness, until the skin starts to peel away from the fruit. Lift out of the syrup, leave to cool slightly, then carefully peel off the skins.
• Place the skins back in the liquid (this will give it a beautiful pink colour), then simmer for 5 minutes until syrupy. Strain through a fine sieve and cool.
• Cut the poached nectarines into wedges, discarding the stone, then refrigerate. Place a griddle pan over a high heat until it is smoking hot. Cut the remaining 2 nectarines into wedges, discarding the stone. Sprinkle them with icing sugar, then cook them on each side for 3 minutes, until charred and soft in the centre. Refrigerate until needed.
• Whip the mascarpone, cream and icing sugar together using an electric whisk until they form soft peaks, then cover and reserve in the fridge.
• When ready to serve, transfer the meringue to a serving plate and dollop the mascarpone cream all over. Arrange slices of the poached and charred nectarines on top, then drizzle with the syrup. Finish with basil leaves.