Chocolate cake with chocolate meringue

This chocolate cake with chocolate meringue is every chocoholic’s dream – and that’s no exaggeration. A rich, moist and intensely chocolatey cake is topped with a light chocolate meringue that’s crisp on the outside and soft and marshmallow-like in the centre. Add a handful of fresh raspberries, blackberries or blueberries, or spoon over some sour cherry compote for the perfect finishing touch.

Note: Because of the delicate meringue (crisp outside, soft inside, much like a Pavlova), this cake is best enjoyed on the day it is baked. It’s still delicious the following day, but I wouldn’t recommend keeping it for longer than 2 days.

Ingredients for the chocolate cake:

• 150 g dark chocolate (70%), finely chopped
• 150 g unsalted butter
• 150 g caster sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 30 g ground almonds
• 10 g cocoa powder

All ingredients should be at room temperature.

Melt the butter gently in a small saucepan. Place the chopped chocolate into a large bowl and pour over the warm melted butter. Leave for 2 minutes, then stir until smooth and glossy. Allow to cool slightly, then whisk in the sugar. Add the eggs one at a time, whisking well after each addition. Stir in the ground almonds and sift in the cocoa powder. Mix until just combined.

Line a 23 cm deep round cake tin with baking paper and pour in the batter, smoothing the surface.

Bake at 170°C for 23 minutes. About 13 minutes before the cake is ready, begin preparing the chocolate meringue.

Ingredients for the chocolate meringue:

• 4 large egg whites
• pinch of salt
• 200 g caster sugar
• 1 teaspoon white vinegar or lemon juice
• 20 g cocoa powder

All ingredients should be at room temperature.

Place the egg whites into the bowl of a stand mixer and begin whisking. Once they become foamy, add the salt and continue whisking on medium speed until soft foam forms. Gradually add the sugar, one tablespoon at a time, whisking continuously after each addition. This slow addition is essential to create a stable, glossy meringue with most of the sugar dissolved. You can check by rubbing a little meringue between your fingers – it should feel almost smooth. Whisk in the vinegar (or lemon juice). Sift the cocoa powder directly over the meringue and gently fold it in with a spoon or spatula.

Remove the partially baked chocolate cake from the oven. Carefully spoon the chocolate meringue over the top.

Return to the oven and bake for a further 25 minutes at 170°C. The meringue will rise dramatically above the tin, crack beautifully and then settle slightly as it cools. Cool gradually: 10 minutes in the switched-off oven, 10 minutes with the oven door slightly ajar, then remove the cake and cool completely on the worktop

Serve with fresh berries or your favourite fruit compote, such as sour cherry.

Enjoy!