Chocolate Meringue Mousse Cake

This is an utterly gorgeous dessert. It’s neither too sweet nor too rich, with a deeply chocolatey mousse-like centre, beneath a thin crackly layer of cocoa dusted meringue. I find this is a perfect do-ahead dessert as I can make it a few hours ahead or even the night before.

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Ingredients

cocoa powder 1 tbsp
dark chocolate 150 g
butter 150 g
crème fraîche 300 ml
vanilla bean paste 2 tsp
caster sugar 150 g
egg 4
strawberry 300 g (sliced)

Method

Preheat the oven to 160°C/140°C fan/gas mark 3. Grease and line a 20cm/8 inch springform or loose-bottom cake tin.
Break the chocolate into pieces. Melt the chocolate pieces, butter and a a pinch of salt together in a bowl set over a pan of gently simmering water. Or gently melt in the microwave in 10-second bursts. Set aside to cool slightly.
Whisk the egg yolks with two-thirds of the caster sugar and the vanilla bean paste until thick, pale and fluffy. Stir in the creme fraiche.
In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites to stiff peaks, then add the remaining caster sugar a tablespoon at a time. Whisk thoroughly between each addition, until you have a thick and glossy mixture that holds itself in stiff peaks.
Pour the dark chocolate and butter mixture into the whisked egg yolks and gently mix together with a spatula. Gradually fold in the egg whites using a metal spoon, taking care not to knock out all of the air.
Once all of the egg white has completely mixed in, spoon the mixture into your prepared cake tin.
Bake for 35 minutes until lightly crisp on top but slightly wobbly when you give the pan a little tap. Leave the cake to cool completely in the tin before carefully removing and transferring to a plate.
Dust with cocoa powder and serve cut into slices with fresh strawberries and some crème fraiche.

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