Recipe for Mary Jo’s Meringue Nests with Dark Chocolate Mousse
4fl oz (125ml) egg whites (4 eggs)
6oz (175g) icing sugar
Put the egg white and sieved icing sugar into the spotlessly clean dry bowl of a food mixer. Whisk for six to eight minutes, or to stiff peaks.
Line a baking tray with silicone paper (Bakewell) and divide meringue into eight large blobs on lined tray. Pipe or shape into 4 inch (10cm) nests using back of a small spoon. Bake in a 150C/300F/gas 2 oven for 30 minutes. Reduce heat to 100C/200F/gas ¼ and bake until crisp. Turn off heat and allow to cool in oven. Slip nests onto serving platter.
6oz (175g) dark chocolate
3fl oz (75ml) brewed coffee
1 tbsp rum or other liqueur
6fl oz (160ml) heavy cream
Place chocolate in a pyrex bowl and set over saucepan of simmering water. Turn off heat and allow chocolate to melt. Stir coffee and rum into melted chocolate and remove bowl from saucepan. Allow to cool to room temperature. To hasten cooling, place bowl over basin of ice water.
Whip cream to soft peaks and fold into cooled liquid chocolate.
Place rounded dollop of chocolate mousse in each nest. Shave a little dark chocolate over tops using a vegetable peeler and a block of chocolate.
Refrigerate overnight or for a few hours.
Before serving decorate each nest with a circle of whipped cream. Top with a tiny Easter fluffy chick if desired.
