Ingredients
- 6 egg whites
- 300g (10oz) caster sugar
- 1½ tsp white wine vinegar
- 1 tsp cornflour
- 100g (3½oz) plain chocolate
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 100ml (3½fl oz) double cream
- 100g (3½oz) caster sugar
- 5 tbsp golden syrup
- 300ml (10fl oz) double cream
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3tbsp caster sugar
- 200g (7oz) raspberries
- icing sugar, for dusting
Directions
- Preheat the oven to gas 3, 170°C, fan 150°C.
- To make the meringue, beat the egg whites in a clean bowl with an electric whisk for 4 minutes until they form soft peaks. Add the sugar, 1 tbsp at a time, beating after each addition until it is all combined. Whisk for 3 minutes more, then add the white wine vinegar and cornflour, and then whisk for a further minute more.
- Line a baking tray with nonstick baking paper and, using a pencil, mark out a circle 25cm (10in) in diameter in the middle. Spoon large, equal dollops of the meringue mix along the circle line to form a wreath shape. Put the meringue in the oven and immediately reduce the temperature to gas 1, 140°C, fan 120°C. Cook for 1 hour 30 minutes, then turn off the oven and leave the wreath in there to cool completely (overnight). Carefully peel off the baking paper and transfer to a serving platter.
- To make the chocolate sauce, melt the plain chocolate, butter and double cream in a heatproof bowl over a pan of barely simmering water. Stir the chocolate until smooth, then add the sugar and golden syrup and heat for a further 5 minutes, stirring all the time, until thick and glossy. set aside until needed.
- To make the topping, whip the cream with the vanilla and sugar for 2 minutes, using an electric whisk, until it is soft and thick. Spoon the whipped cream over the meringue wreath in a thick layer until evenly covered. Then arrange the raspberries on top of the cream around the wreath.
- Just before serving, reheat the chocolate sauce until just warm. Drizzle over the wreath with a spoon, then dust with a little icing sugar.