Coffee meringue with chocolate Espresso ice recipe

A twist on traditional pavlovas with a sweet coffee flavoured ice cream on a golden meringue nest. The perfect Christmas dessert or dinner party treat.

Ingredients

For the pavlovas:

• 2tsps good coffee granules or powder
• 1tsp cornflour
• 4 large egg whites
• 250g golden caster sugar
• 1tsp white wine vinegar

For the ice cream:

• 4tbsps coffee granules or powder
• 200g bar dark chocolate
• 500g pot ready-made
• Custard
• 300ml carton extra-thick double cream

For the chocolate sauce:

• 100g bar dark chocolate
• 100ml single or double cream (or substitute up to 4tbsps of the cream with Irish Cream liqueur)
• Cocoa powder, for dusting
• 2 baking sheets lined with baking parchment

Method

1. To make the ice cream: Dissolve the coffee in 4 tbsps hot water in a bowl. Add the chocolate in pieces and put the bowl over a pan of simmering water until it melts. Stir until smooth. Take off the heat, leave to cool. Mix the custard and cream in another bowl. Stir in the chocolate mixture. Churn in an ice-cream maker or pour into a shallow container and freeze for 3 hrs until frozen at the edges. Scrape into a bowl, beat with a hand mixer, then freeze again. Repeat 2 or 3 times to get a good ice cream.
2. To make the pavlovas: Set the oven to 100°C/212°F/Gas Mark ½. Push the coffee granules through a small sieve into a small bowl to make a finer powder. Add the cornflour and set aside. Whisk the egg whites until stiff and standing in peaks. Add half the sugar, whisk in well then add the rest of the sugar in 2 batches to make a thick, glossy meringue. Whisk the coffee/cornflour mixture into the meringue with the vinegar. Spoon 8 large, fluffy mounds of meringue on to the baking trays and bake for 1½ hrs, until they’re crisp and come off the paper easily. Turn off the oven and leave them in there to cool.
3. To make the sauce: Just before serving, put the chocolate and cream (and Irish Cream Liqueur, if using) in a bowl over a pan of simmering water and stir until the chocolate melts.
4. To serve: Put meringues on plates, top with a scoop of ice cream, drizzle sauce over and dust with cocoa powder.