Prepare the meringue “nests”: Beat the egg whites until they stiffen. Gradually add the caster sugar (1 tablespoon at a time), the vanilla and finally add the vinegar, while stirring gently and continuously. The mixture must be firm and shiny so that it doesn’t lose its texture. Take the mixture out of the mixer and add the hazelnuts, stirring gently with a spatula. In a dish covered with non-stick paper, put 5 tablespoons of the mixture, leaving enough space in between each spoonful for them to grow in size as they cook. Cook them in a 1400C preheated oven for 1 hour. Allow to cool down before using them for the next step.
Prepare the filling: In a mixer, blend the fresh cream until it thickens, reduce the speed and gradually add the sugar and vanilla. Mix gently for a couple of minutes until it becomes a consistent mixture. Place it in the fridge until serving. Put 2 spoonfuls of the filling onto the “nests” and on top of that add the chocolate sauce and serve immediately.
Chef’s tip: If you wish, you can make the meringue “nests” from the previous day. You can mix the chocolate with fresh strawberries or mango, or any other tropical fruit.
Ingredients:
For the meringue “nests”:
8 egg whites
500ml sugar
1 tsp powdered vanilla or vanilla essence
1 tbsp white vinegar
175ml crushed hazelnuts
For the filling:
300ml fresh cream
1 cup caster sugar
1 tsp powdered vanilla or vanilla essence
For the garnish:
100ml milk chocolate
35ml milk
