Grey January days call for colourful suppers, and there’s nothing brighter than this wonderfully seasonal pud. Try Philippa Davis’ tangerine curd and pomegranate meringues.

For a decadent dinner party pud, try chocolate, chestnut and brandy mousse.

TANGERINE CURD AND POMEGRANATE MERINGUES

Cheerfully pretty and wonderfully seasonal, this dessert is the perfect sweetener on a winter evening.

Meringues

• 4 egg whites
• 200g caster sugar (approx)

Tangerine curd

• 4 egg yolks  plus 3 whole eggs
• 120g caster sugar
• 1 lemon , zest and juice
• 5 tangerines, zest and juice
• 170g cold butter, cut into cubes

To serve

• Seeds from 1 pomegranate
• 16 slices peeled tangerine
• Icing sugar to dust
• 8 mint sprigs

THE METHOD

To make the meringues

Pre-heat the oven to 110°C/225°F/Gas Mark ¼ and arrange the shelves with one in the middle and one on the bottom. Place a baking sheet on the middle shelf (this helps keep the meringues white).

Using three equal-sized glasses, measure out twice the volume of sugar to egg whites.

Using an electric whisk on full speed, mix half the sugar with all the egg whites until stiff (about four minutes) then, whisking continually, add the rest of the sugar in two stages until you have a thick, glossy mixture (about five minutes).  Spoon out the mixture onto a lined baking sheet into 8 mounds and cook on the lower shelf for about 1½ to two hours. When done, you should be able to lift the meringues and tap the bottom, which will be firm. Leave to cool.

To make the curd

In a bowl, beat the whole eggs and yolks.

In a saucepan, place the sugar with the lemon and tangerine zest and juices. Whisk in the eggs and cook on a low heat stirring with a spatula. When the sugar has melted, add the butter and continue to stir until the mix has thickened and can coat the back of a spoon.

Scrape out into a bowl and leave to cool.

To serve

Place a teaspoon of curd on a plate and put a meringue on top. Drizzle over a big spoonful of curd and sprinkle on some pomegranate seeds. Finish with a few slices of tangerines, a dusting of icing sugar and a sprig of mint.