SERVES 6-8, 25 MINS PREPARATION, 30 MINS COOKING

This indulgent desert combines the sweetness of chocolate with the elegance of meringue and the comfort of a delicious pie base. Fun and easy to make, this recipe will have you coming back for more!

INGREDIENTS:

For The Pie Pastry Base:

• 250g Flour, and extra for dusting
• 2 tbsp Water
• 175g softened Butter, and extra for greasing the pie tin.
• 150g Caster Sugar
• 1 large beaten Egg
• 1 9-12’’ width, 1’’-3’’ height round Baking Tin.
• 1 Sheet Baking Paper and dried rice or ceramic Baking Beans for pre-baking

For The Chocolate Filling:

• 125g Dark Chocolate
• 125g Milk Chocolate
• 500ml Milk
• 3 Egg Yolks (reserve the white for the chocolate filling)
• 200g Caster sugar
• 2 tbsp Cocoa Powder

For The Meringue Topping:

• 5 separated Egg Whites
• Pinch of Salt
• 200g Caster Sugar
• Drop of Vinegar

METHOD:

1. Preheat the oven to 200oC/400oC F/Gas Mark 6 and grease a Baking Tin with some softened Butter.
2. In a large mixing bowl add the Flour, Sugar and softened Butter, and mix together until the mix looks like fine breadcrumbs. In a separate bowl beat the Egg and add this to the mix. Gradually add the Water and mix until the pastry combines into a ball.
3. Place on a lightly floured surface and roll the pastry to a thickness of 5mm, then transfer the pastry into the greased tin and tuck the corners lightly around the tin sides. Using a knife trim away any excess pastry around the edge of the top of the tin, so no pastry hangs over the edge.
4. Place a sheet of Baking Paper into the pie base (trimming if necessary) and pour on dried rice or small round ceramic Baking Beans blind bake the pie base (this prevents a soggy bottom!)
5. Place in the oven and cook for 15 minutes until the pastry crust turns a light golden brown. Then remove the baking beads and baking parchment and return to the oven for another 5 minutes. Once cooked remove from the oven and turn down the oven to 170C/340F/Gas 3½.
6. Whilst the pastry cooks prepare the filling. In a large saucepan bring to boil the milk, and in a separate bowl mix the Egg Yolks with the Sugar and Cocao Powder, gradually adding the Flour to prevent the egg from curdling.
7. Mix well then pour this into the saucepan, turning down the heat to allow it to simmer gently, and stir often. Then remove from the heat and grate in the Dark and Milk Chocolate and stir until the chocolate has melted and all the mix has combined and it is thick and smooth.
8. Set aside to cool whilst you make the Meringue. In a large mixing bowl whisk 5 Egg Whites until the mixture whitens and stiff peaks can be made with the whisk. Add a pinch of Salt, a drop of Vinegar. This will make the meringue crunchy outside but fluffy inside.
9. Add a tablespoon of Sugar at a time, continuing to whisk until the meringue is thick, white and glossy.
10. To assemble the pie, pour the chocolate mixture into the cooked pie base and spoon on top the meringue. Spread to the sides of the pie case so the meringue doesn’t shrink back, being careful not to deflate the whipped mix.
11. Place the tart in the oven and cook for a further 15 minutes until the top of the meringue turns a very light golden colour.  If necessary, cover the edge of the crust with foil to prevent burning or over-browning. Allow to cool then remove from the tin.
12. Serve and enjoy with a side of cream, ice-cream or warm chocolate sauce!