Coffee Meringue

Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan, gas mark 4). Line a baking tray with baking paper.

Roast the blanched hazelnuts in the oven for 10 minutes. Then drop the temperature of the oven to 120°C (fan 100°C, gas mark 1/2).

 

In a thick-based saucepan, melt the sugar, stirring gently until it turns a nice caramel colour.

Stir in the nuts along with the coffee extract. Pour over a greased or oiled baking tray and leave to cool until hardened.

In a large bowl, use an electric whisk to whisk the egg whites to soft peaks. Whisk in half the icing sugar, 1 tbsp at a time until the mixture is stiff. Carefully fold in the rest of the sugar and a teaspoon of coffee extract.

Use a rolling pin to break up the hazelnut praline and fold into the meringue mixture, reserving some to decorate.

Spread the mixture onto the lined baking tray and bake in the preheated oven for 1.5-2 hours until the meringue is dry and lifts easily from the paper. Leave to cool.

Whip the cream with the vanilla extract and then spoon onto the cooled meringue. Grate some chocolate and sprinkle with the reserved praline to finish.