Chocolate and hazelnut meringues
Individual chocolate meringues topped with vanilla flavoured whipped cream and a chocolate sauce to die for.
It's best to use an electric whisk when making this recipe as the meringues need a lot of whisking.
Ingredients
For the meringues
- 6 free-range egg whites
- 300²µ/10½´Ç³ú caster sugar
- 50g/2oz chocolate (70 per cent cocoa solids), grated
- 3 tbsp cocoa powder
- 1 tsp sherry vinegar
- 150g/5oz hazelnuts, shelled, toasted, roughly chopped
For the filling
- 400ml/14fl oz double cream, whipped until soft peaks form when the whisk is removed
- 1 vanilla pod, split, seeds scraped out
- 1 tbsp sugar
For the sauce
- 200g/7oz ready-made chocolate hazelnut spread
- 100g/3½oz unsalted butter
- 200ml/7fl oz double cream
- 2 tbsp hazelnut liqueur
Method
Preheat oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4.
For the meringues, beat the egg whites in a clean bowl until stiff peaks form when the whisk is removed.
Add the sugar, one tablespoon at a time, whisking well.
Add the chocolate, cocoa powder, vinegar and nuts and gently fold into the meringue mixture.
Line a baking tray with greaseproof paper and spoon small mounds of meringue mixture onto it.
Transfer the tray to the oven and turn down the heat to 150C/130C Fan/Gas 2 immediately and bake for 45–50 minutes. (The meringues should be crisp on the outside and chewy in the middle.)
For the filling, place the cream, vanilla seeds and sugar into a clean bowl and mix together well.
For the sauce, place the chocolate hazelnut spread, butter, double cream and hazelnut liqueur into a pan over a low heat. Allow the ingredients to melt, stirring occasionally, until combined.
To serve, place a dollop of filling mixture between two meringues. Place onto a plate and pour the sauce over the top. Repeat with the remaining meringues and serve.
Recipe Tips
When whisking the egg whites, make sure the bowl is clean and completely free from any greasy residue.