Chocolate Meringue Brownie

May 2024

INGREDIENTS

  • 240G DARK CHOCOLATE, CHOPPED
  • 180G UNSALTED BUTTER, CHOPPED
  • 2 EGGS
  • 4 EGGS, EXTRA, SEPARATED
  • ½ CUP (90G) LIGHT BROWN SUGAR 
  • 1 TEASPOON VANILLA EXTRACT
  • ⅓ CUP (50G) PLAIN (ALL-PURPOSE) FLOUR, SIFTED
  • ½ TEASPOON BAKING POWDER, SIFTED
  • ⅓ CUP (40G) ALMOND MEAL (GROUND ALMONDS)
  • 1 CUP (220G) CASTER (SUPERFINE) SUGAR
  • 1 TEASPOON WHITE VINEGAR
  • 3 TEASPOONS CORNFLOUR (CORNSTARCH), SIFTED
  • ¼ CUP (25G) COCOA POWDER, SIFTED, PLUS EXTRA FOR DUSTING

METHOD

  1. Preheat oven to 160°C (325°F). Line a 24cm round springform tin with non-stick baking paper. Place the chocolate and butter in a medium saucepan over low heat and stir until melted and smooth. Allow to cool slightly.

  2. Place the eggs, extra yolks, brown sugar and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer and whisk for 3–4 minutes or until pale and thick. Add the chocolate mixture, the flour, baking powder and almond meal and gently fold to combine. Pour into the tin and bake for 35–40 minutes. Allow to cool in the tin slightly.

  3. Increase the oven temperature to 180°C (350°F). Place the extra egg whites in a cleaned bowl of the electric mixer and whisk on high speed until soft peaks form. Add the sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, whisking for 30 seconds before adding more.
    Scrape down the sides of the bowl, add the vinegar and whisk for 2–3 minutes or until the meringue is thick and glossy. Add the cornflour and cocoa and fold to combine. 

  4. Spoon the meringue mixture onto the cake and spread evenly. Return the cake to the oven for 20–25 minutes or until the meringue is golden and crisp. Allow to cool in the tin for 15–20 minutes. Gently run a knife around the inside edge of the tin and remove the ring. Allow to cool to room temperature before refrigerating for 2 hours. 

  5. Place the cake on a cake stand or plate and dust with the extra cocoa to serve. Serves 8–10

Chocolate Meringue Brownie

Ingredients

For the brownie

250g (8oz) unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing

350g (11½oz) dark chocolate, roughly chopped

300g (10oz) light muscovado sugar

5 large eggs, separated

For the chocolate meringue

4 egg whites

225g (7½oz) golden caster sugar

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp cornflour

50g (2oz) pure cocoa powder

Method

Preheat the oven to 180°C (fan 160°C)/350°F/ gas mark 4. Grease a 22cm (8½in) diameter spring form cake tin and line with baking paper, making sure it is at least 5cm (2in) above the rim of the tin.

The brownie

Melt the butter and chocolate together in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water, making sure the surface of the water does not touch the bowl. Add the sugar, stirring until it has completely dissolved. Remove from the heat and add the egg yolks.

In a clean, dry bowl, whisk the egg whites to soft peaks. Fold a couple of tablespoons of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture, then fold in the remaining whites using a rubber spatula. Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin and bake in the oven for 40 minutes.

The meringue

In a large, clean, dry bowl, whisk the egg whites to stiff peaks, adding the sugar a little at a time, then add the vanilla extract. Sift the corn flour and cocoa powder together, then fold into the meringue until the mixture is even and glossy.

Remove the chocolate brownie from the oven and cover the top with the meringue. Return to the oven for a further 25 minutes, or until the meringue puffs up and a crust forms on the top but the centre is still soft. Leave to cool in the tin. The centre will collapse slightly. Serve warm with crème fraîche or vanilla ice cream.