Chocolate brownie meringue gateau recipe

Details

• Cuisine: British
• Recipe Type: Cake
• Difficulty: Hard
• Preparation Time: 20 mins
• Cooking Time: 45 mins
• Serves: 16

Step-by-step

1. Grease and line the bottoms of two 22cm (9 inch) tins and preheat your oven to 190°C
2. Break the chocolate into a bowl (reserving 25g) and melt in a heatproof glass bowl over a pan of hot water (or in a microwave on medium power), stirring frequently. Leave to cool.
3. In a large bowl, beat the margarine and sugar until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in the eggs and finally stir in the flour until the mix is smooth. Fold in the melted chocolate and the reserved chocolate.
4. Pour batter evenly into your tins. Bake in a preheated oven at 190°C/170°C fan/gas mark 5 for 10-12 minutes. Then reduce heat to 160°C/140°C fan/gas mark 3.
5. Meanwhile prepare the meringue by whisking the egg whites and cream of tartar until thick and soft peaks form. Gradually whisk in the sugar until shiny and stiff and then fold in the almonds.
6. Spoon meringue over the chocolate brownie mix spreading one cake as smoothly as possible and using a palette knife to form peaks in the other. Return to the oven and cook for a further 30 minutes until the meringue to golden brown and firm to the touch. Leave to cool in tin and remove carefully to a wire rack.
7. For the filling, whip the cream and sugar until stiff and fold in strawberries.
8. Place the smooth topped cake, meringue side down on a serving plate and top with the filling. Sandwich with remaining cake, meringue side up. Decorate with the nuts and strawberries.