This recipe first appeared in Woman’s Day.
Follow Woman’s Day on Facebook, Instagram and sign up to their e-newsletter.
Ingredients
Method
1.Preheat oven to slow, 150°C. Lightly grease and line a large oven tray with baking paper. In a small bowl, using an electric mixer, beat egg whites until soft peaks form.
2.Gradually add caster sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating to dissolve sugar well before adding more (see recipe tip).
3.Beat in cocoa, cornflour and vinegar, scraping down sides of bowl with a spatula.
4.Using a large metal spoon, dollop 4 large mounds of chocolate meringue onto tray.
5.Using the back of the spoon, spread meringue into 12cm nests (they should have a small centre indent). Bake for 10 minutes.
6.Roast hazelnuts by spreading on a second oven tray and baking for 10 minutes (skins split and loosen). Wrap in a clean tea towel and rub well to remove skins. Roughly chop.
7.Reduce oven to very slow, 120°C. Bake nests for a further 20-25 minutes until firm. Turn off oven. Cool meringues completely in oven with door ajar. Top each meringue nest with a dollop of cream. Scatter with berries and hazelnuts.
8.To finish, using a fork, drizzle tops of nests with melted chocolate.
Note
- Use a clean, dry bowl and beaters to ensure optimum volume. – Don’t overbeat egg whites before adding sugar, as mixture will break down. Beating in sugar should take about 10 minutes.
