CHOCOLATE MARBLE MERINGUE NESTS

by chef Peter Ayub of Sense of Taste Chef School

Serves 8 – 10

INGREDIENTS

4 large egg whites, free range if possible (keep yolks for homemade mayo)

225 g castor sugar

1 t cornflour

1 heaped T cocoa powder

scoops of homemade ice cream (recipe above)

fruit in season eg a combination of strawberries, cherries and bananas

METHOD

1. Place the egg whites and castor sugar in a large heatproof bowl and suspend over a pot of simmering water.
2. Stir until the sugar is completely dissolved – the mixture must not be hot – lukewarm.
3. Take off heat. Now using an electric hand mixer, beat the egg white mixture for at least 10 to 15 minutes until you have a gorgeous thick meringue like mixture – white, glossy and very thick.
4. Add the cornflour and mix in.
5. Sift the cocoa powder and gently fold into the meringue mixture – you don’t want the cocoa totally mixed in – it needs to have a swirl like effect.
6. Spoon or pipe the mixture onto baking trays lined with baking paper, using half the mixture to make bowls/nests and the other half to make lids.
7. Place in a preheated oven at 150°C and then immediately turn heat down to 120°C and bake for 1 ¼ hours.
8. Switch off oven and leave to cool completely in the oven.
9. Fill with seasonal fruit and a scoop of the homemade ice cream and pop the meringue lids on top.