Chocolate meringue mousse cake | Daily Mail Online

This can be made a few hours in advance or even the night before. It gets more dense with time but leftovers can still be enjoyed a couple of days later. 

Time taken: 1 hour

Serves 10-12

150g dark chocolate (about 70% cocoa solids), broken into pieces

150g butter

pinch of flaked sea salt

4 eggs, separated

150g caster sugar

2 tsp vanilla bean paste

To serve

1 tbsp cocoa powder, to dust

fresh seasonal berries

crème fraîche or whipped cream

• Preheat the oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. Grease and line a 20cm springform or loose-bottom cake tin.
• Melt the chocolate, butter and 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 100g of the sugar and the vanilla paste until thick, pale and fluffy.
• In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites to stiff peaks then add the remaining sugar, a tablespoon at a time, whisking thoroughly between each addition until you have a thick and glossy mixture that holds itself in stiff peaks.
• Pour the 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 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 the cocoa powder and serve cut into slices with fresh berries and some crème fraîche or whipped cream (generously flavoured with orange liqueur is my personal favourite).

Flexible

Upgrade Add 1 tablespoon brandy, rum, coconut or orange liqueur to the melted chocolate and butter.

Flavour swap Fold through 100g finely chopped roasted hazelnuts before transferring to the tin.