Chocolate meringue cake

Chocolate meringue cake

Ingredients

Cake

• 250g butter, cubed
• 360g dark chocolate, chopped
• 6 extra-large eggs
• 185ml ( cup) brown sugar
• Pinch of salt
• 125ml ( cup) stout beer (Guinness)
• 5ml (1 tsp) vanilla essence

Meringue

• 60g dark chocolate, chopped
• 200g (1 cup) caster sugar
• 2 extra-large egg whites
• Pinch of salt
• 80ml ( cup) water
• 10ml (2 tsp) vanilla essence

Method

For the cake, preheat the oven to 170C. Spray a 23cm springform pan with cooking spray and line the base with baking paper.

Place the butter and chocolate in a glass bowl over a pot of simmering water (don't let the bowl touch the water). Stir until chocolate melts, then remove from heat and set aside.

Place eggs, sugar and salt in a bowl over the simmering water and whisk until warm and combined. Remove from heat, transfer to a large bowl and beat with an electric whisk until tripled in volume, about 5 minutes.

Place beer and vanilla in a saucepan and bring to a gentle boil.

Beat the hot beer mixture into the egg mixture, then beat in the melted chocolate. Mix for about 2 minutes, then pour batter into the prepared pan and bake for 30minutes.

Cool in the pan on a rack for 1 hour, then loosen the edges with a knife and remove the ring. Cool completely.

For the meringue, melt the chocolate in a glass bowl over simmering water, or in the microwave on medium for 2 minutes, stirring at 30-second intervals.

Place caster sugar, egg whites, salt, water and vanilla in a heatproof bowl over a pot of simmering water and beat for 5 minutes.

Remove from heat and continue beating until cool and fluffy. Fold in the melted chocolate.

Spread the meringue over the cooled cake and serve.