“And all through the blue-cobbled streets the glistening shop windows were lined with pastries of every kind, from mounds of almond-stuffed sugared croissants and coffee-soaked gilded opera cakes to rows of crème-filled éclairs and giant meringues “ anon.
NOTES
– Be careful not to over-whip your egg whites. Over-whipping will cause the matrix of the proteins to break down and the foam will collapse becoming grainy, watery and unusable.
– Be careful not to over-whip your cream. Over-whipping will cause it to separate into butter and buttermilk. Once it’s turned, you can’t really salvage it. Whipping should take 2-3 minutes, depending on the speed you’re beating, but watch it carefully and stop as soon as it is thick enough that it drops off a spoon.
WHAT YOU’LL NEED
Equipment:
- electric hand or stand mixer (we used our KitchenAid)
- large baking sheet, lined
Makes: 8-10 servings
INGREDIENTS
For the meringue:
- 6 large egg whites
- 300 grams caster sugar
- 3 tablespoons cocoa powder (sieved)
- 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
- 50 grams dark chocolate (finely chopped)
To top:
- 500 ml double cream
- 500 grams raspberries
- 3 tablespoons dark chocolate (coarsely grated)
METHOD
Making the meringue:
Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C Fan/gas mark 4/350ºF and line a baking tray with baking parchment.
- Separate your eggs and place your egg whites into your stand mixer. Beat on medium-high until peaks form, then gradually incorporate the sugar one tablespoon at a time until the meringue mix is stiff and shiny.
- Sprinkle over the cocoa and vinegar followed by the chopped chocolate. Then gently fold everything until the cocoa is thoroughly mixed in.
- Gently mound your mixture onto your pre-lined baking sheet in a fat circle approximately 23cm / 9 inches in diameter, smoothing the sides and top.
- Place in the oven and immediately reduce the temperature to 150°C/130°C Fan/gas mark 2/300ºF. Cook for around one to one and a quarter hours. When ready it should look crisp with some cracks around the edges and on the sides and be dry on top, but when you prod the centre lightly you should feel the promise of a sludgier core. Remove from the oven leave to cool on a cooling rack.
- When you’re ready to serve, invert on to a big, flat-bottomed plate. Whisk the cream until thick but still soft and pile it on top of the meringue, then scatter over the raspberries. Coarsely grate the chocolate – aim for curls rather than dust, as you don’t want the raspberries’ luscious colour and form to be obscured, and sprinkle over the top.
- Serve straight away. It can be preserved in the fridge for a while but is best served immediately.
