Meringue with Dark Chocolate Filling

As it was the case with my previous meringue recipes (with strawberries and raspberries), this one has also been inspired by a cake I had in a confectionary. I ate it for the first time many years ago but somehow for a very long time I didn’t even try to make it myself and only enjoyed it when I went there occasionally.

The cake I enjoyed so much consisted of meringue with dried figs and dates, and dense, dark chocolate filling. When I finally decided to prepare it, I knew I wouldn’t have a problem with making the meringue but the filing could possibly be problematical. I remembered I used to have a recipe for a butter cream that would match this cake very well but even though I searched every possible place, I couldn’t find it. So at the end I made the below filling instead. It was perfect and exactly like I wanted it to be: dark, intense with a pretty strong taste of alcohol. And because of the alcohol in the filing, this is ratter a grown-ups cake. It is also pretty heavy – even the members of my family with the sweetest tooth couldn’t have a second helping straight away (mind you, they did have a different cake at first ;)). But this is only a good news – you will be able to enjoy it longer!

INGREDIENTS (for 6-8 portions):

Meringue:

6 egg whites,

300g caster sugar,

2 tbsp Demerara sugar,

1 tsp white wine vinegar,

1 tsp cocoa powder,

a pinch of salt,

5 dates, thinly chopped,

5 dried figs, thinly chopped.

Filling:

250ml double cream,

200g chopped dark chocolate,

2 tbsp icing sugar,

75ml coffee liqueur,

5 dates, thinly chopped,

5 dried figs, thinly chopped.

Extra cocoa powder for dusting.

METHOD:

1. Take two pieces of baking paper and draw 23cm-diameter circle on each one; then put them on two baking trays.
2. Pre-heat an oven to 180 Celsius degrees.
3. Put the egg whites to a big, clean and dry bowl, add a pinch of salt and beat them with an electric mixer.
4. When they are stiff, start adding sugar (while you still beat the egg whites): add one tablespoon at a time and carry on beating for 20-30 seconds before you add another tablespoon of sugar. At first add the caster sugar and then the Demerara.
5. When you have used all the sugar, keep on whisking for another 2-3 minutes, then add the vinegar and beat for another minute.
6. Sieve in the cocoa powder, add the chopped dates and figs and gently stir.
7. Divide the beaten egg whites into 2 portions and carefully spread them on the drawn circles, put both baking trays to the hot oven.
8. After 5 minutes decrease the temperature to 140 Celsius degrees and bake for 90 minutes; afterwards turn off the oven, open its doors slightly and keep it open for 5 minutes. Close the door and keep the meringues in the oven for a few hours or overnight.
9. In a small pot heat up the cream (but don’t boil it).
10. Once hot, move away from the heat, add the chocolate and stir from time to time.
11. When the chocolate is melted and combined with the cream, cool the mixture down and put to the fridge for approximately 1 hour so it thickens (but don’t allow it to thicken completely).
12. Add the sugar and liquor to the cream and chocolate mixture and beat with the electric mixer until it increases in volume and becomes paler; stir in the dates and figs.
13. Put one meringue disc (the worse looking one) on a serving plate, spread the chocolate filing and place the second meringue on top; decorate with sifted cocoa powder.
14. Keep refrigerated till needed.