Meringue Cake With Chocolate Mousse Filling

Total Time: 2 hrs 25 mins Preparation Time: 25 mins Cook Time: 2 hrs

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 6 egg whites (free-range, largest size)
• 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar (icing sugar)
• 1 tablespoon cornflour (maizena in south africa)
• 3/4 cup hazelnuts, ground (ground almonds might also do)
• cocoa powder, for dusting
• 14 ounces chocolate, dark, chopped (high quality, 400 g)
• 1/2 cup cream, to whip
• 2 eggs, free-range
• 1/2 cup cream (thick, double, whipped)

Recipe

• 1 preheat oven to 400 deg f/ 200 deg celsius.
• 2 beat egg whites until stiff and then gradually add confectioner's/icing sugar and beat until thick and glossy.
• 3 fold in the cornflour and ground hazelnuts (or almond flour).
• 4 draw 2 x 7 inch/about 6 inch circles on 2 pieces of baking paper. divide meringue mixture between them, and spread neatly with a knife.
• 5 bake for 2 hours or until meringues are crisp. turn off oven, open door very slightly, and allow meringues to cool in oven.
• 6 choc mousse: place the broken chocolate and cream in a double boiler. if you are a dab hand at this, merely use a thick-bottomed smallish pot. heat gently, stir until smooth, and allow to cool down.
• 7 separate the eggs. add egg yolks and stir until well combined.
• 8 whisk the 2 egg whites until soft peaks form, and fold into chocolate mixture. fold in cream, and refrigerate for 15 minutes.
• 9 place one meringue carefully on a cake plate. spread with the mousse and top with the remaining meringue.
• 10 refrigerate for 3 - 4 hours or until mousse sets. dust with cocoa before serving.