Serves 6

Ingredients

• 125g Castor Sugar
• 500ml cream
• 50g Brown Sugar
• 2 tbs Frangelico
• 3 large egg whites
• 200g sweetened chestnut puree

Method

1. Preheat oven to 140oC. Have the sugar measured out ready, then place the egg whites in a scrupulously clean bowl and whisk until they form soft peaks that slightly tip over when you lift the whisk.

2. Add the castor sugar, about a tablespoon at a time, and continue to whisk until each tablespoon of sugar has been thoroughly whisked in. Now, simply take rounded dessertspoonfuls of the mixture and place them in rows on the lined baking tray.

3. Place the baking tray in the oven on the centre shelf, and leave the meringues there for 1 hour. After that, turn the oven off and leave the meringues in the oven to dry out overnight, or until the over is completely cold.

4. When you’re ready to make the dish, whip the cream with the brown sugar and frangelico to the floppy stage.

5. All the above can be done in advance, but when you are ready to serve, break up the meringues into roughly 2.5 cm pieces, place them in a large mixing bowl, add the chestnut puree, then fold the cream in and around them.

6. Pile the whole lot into a serving dish or alternatively into parfait glasses and drizzle with chocolate sauce made by melting 100g dark good quality chocolate with 100ml cream.

This recipe is based on Eton Mess a classic dish of meringue, strawberries and cream. Here we have substituted the strawberries for chestnut puree and added a dash of Frangelico.