Serving size: Serves 8
Cuisine type: Modern Australian
Cooking time: More than 2 hours
Special options: Kid friendly
Course: Dessert
Favourite flavours: Cakes/baking, Chocolate

Try this delicious Hazelnut meringue cake with chocolate sauce

INGREDIENTS

4 eggwhites
1 1/2 cups (330g) caster sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon vinegar
1 1/4 cups (125g) toasted ground hazelnuts
125g dark chocolate, broken into pieces
3/4 cup (185ml) cream
icing sugar, to dust

METHOD

1. Preheat oven to 180C or 160C fan. Grease and line base and sides of two 20cm sandwich cake pans.

2. Using an electric mixer, beat eggwhites until firm peaks form. Add 1 cup of sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until thick and glossy. Add vanilla and vinegar and beat for 20 seconds.

3. Gently fold though hazelnuts. Divide mixture evenly into prepared pans, smoothing top with a spatula. Bake for 35 minutes, until pale golden and firm. Cool in pans before turning out.

4. Meanwhile, make chocolate sauce. Place chocolate and 1/2 cup water in a small saucepan on low heat and stir until melted. Add remaining sugar and another 3/4 cup water and stir frequently until dissolved. Simmer for 10 minutes, until thickened. Remove from heat and cool.

5. Whip cream and stir through 1/4 cup of chocolate sauce. Spread onto one meringue round and top with other round. Cover and refrigerate overnight or for at least 1 hour until ready to serve. Dust with icing sugar and serve cut into wedges drizzled with remaining chocolate sauce.