Bill Granger recipe: Mango and coconut meringue sundae

Serves 6

Mango and coconut meringue sundae (Kristin Perers)

If you're heading to the park for your picnic, you don't want to take ice cream from home as it'll just melt. So if there's one available, I'd suggest bribing a teenager to go and buy a tub from the closest shop or park café once you're ready for dessert…

2 mangoes
400ml vanilla ice cream
85g fresh coconut shavings

For the meringues

2 egg whites
115g golden caster sugar
½ tsp cornflour
½ tsp white-wine vinegar
35g grated fresh coconut

Start with the meringues. Preheat the oven to 120C/250F/Gas½. Line a baking sheet with baking paper. Whisk the egg whites in a dry bowl until stiff peaks form. Add the sugar a tablespoon at a time, whisking continuously till the meringue is glossy and thick.

Whisk in the cornflour and vinegar; gently fold in the grated coconut. Spoon 6 meringues on to the baking tray and bake for 1 hour. Turn off the oven and leave inside, with the door ajar, until completely cooled. Keep in an airtight container.

For the topping, blend the flesh of one mango into a purée and cut the second mango into chunks. Take everything to the picnic in separate, sealed containers and, just before serving, spoon the purée between 6 glasses.

Roughly crush half the meringues (keep the rest back to munch on later or for another day) and divide between the glasses with the ice cream and mango chunks. Top with the coconut shavings and serve.