Ingredients

• 6 free-range egg whites
• 300g/10½oz caster sugar
• 50g/2oz chocolate (70 per cent cocoa solids)
• grated
• 3 tbsp cocoa powder
• 1 tsp sherry vinegar
• 150g/5oz hazelnuts
• shelled
• toasted
• roughly chopped
• 400ml/14fl oz double cream
• whipped until soft peaks form when the whisk is removed
• 1 vanilla pod
• split
• seeds scraped out
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 200g/7oz ready-made chocolate hazelnut spread
• 100g/3½oz unsalted butter
• 200ml/7fl oz double cream
• 2 tbsp hazelnut liqueur

Directions

• Preheat oven to 180C/365F/Gas 4.
• For the meringues
• beat the egg whites in a bowl until stiff peaks form when the whisk is removed.
• Add the sugar
• one tablespoon at a time
• whisking well.
• Add the chocolate
• cocoa powder
• vinegar and nuts and gently fold into the meringue mixture.
• Line a baking tray with greaseproof paper and spoon small mounds of meringue mixture onto it.
• Transfer the tray to the oven and turn down the heat to 150C/300F/Gas 2 immediately and bake for 45-50 minutes. (The meringues should be crisp on the outside and chewy in the middle.)
• For the filling
• place the cream
• vanilla seeds and sugar into a clean bowl and mix together well.
• For the sauce
• place the chocolate hazelnut spread
• butter
• double cream and hazelnut liqueur into a pan over a low heat. Allow the ingredients to melt
• stirring occasionally
• until combined.
• To serve
• place a dollop of filling mixture between two meringues. Place onto a plate and pour the sauce over the top. Repeat with the remaining meringues and serve.