Ingredients

The following ingredients have 16 Servings
  • 200g/7oz good-quality dark chocolate roughly chopped
  • 200g/7oz unsalted butter, softened, plus extra for greasing
  • 250g/8¾oz icing sugar
  • 3 free-range eggs
  • 110g/4oz plain flour
  • 4 free-range egg whites
  • 200g/7oz caster sugar
  • ½ tsp cream of tartar
  • 100g/3½oz hazelnuts, roasted, chopped
  • 300ml/10½fl oz whipping cream
  • 100g//3½oz icing sugar
  • 200g/7oz raspberries
  • None
  • None
  • handful hazelnuts, chopped
  • handful pistachios, chopped

Instruction

  • Preheat the oven to 190C/375F/Gas 5. Grease and line two 23cm/9in sandwich tins
  • For the brownie base, melt 180g/6¼oz of the chocolate in a bowl set over a pan over simmering water. Chop the remaining chocolate and set aside.
  • Meanwhile, cream the butter and icing sugar together in a separate bowl until light, creamy and fluffy. Slowly whisk in the eggs, one at a time, until well combined.
  • Gradually beat in the flour until the mixture is very smooth. Slowly pour in the melted chocolate and fold it into the mixture, then fold in the chopped chocolate.
  • Pour the brownie mixture into the prepared sandwich tins and bake for 10-12 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 170C/325F/Gas 3.
  • Meanwhile for the meringue topping, whisk the egg whites and cream of tartar in a bowl until soft peaks form when the whisk is removed. Slowly whisk the sugar until smooth and glossy, then fold in the chopped hazelnuts with a metal spoon.
  • Spoon the meringue topping onto the cooked brownie base. Use a palette knife to smooth the meringue mixture in one sandwich tin and use a skewer to make peaks in the meringue mixture in the other tin.
  • Return the sandwich tins to the oven for a further 30 minutes, or until the meringue is golden-brown. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool. Carefully remove the cakes from the tin and set aside to cool completely on a wire rack.
  • For the filling, whip the cream and icing sugar together in a bowl until stiff peaks form when the whisk is removed. Fold in the raspberries.
  • To assemble, place the flat meringue brownie, meringue-side down onto a cake stand or large plate, spoon over the raspberry cream and top with the remaining cake, brownie-side down. Sprinkle over the chopped hazelnuts and pistachios.