CHOCOLATE CHESTNUT MERINGUE PIE

SERVES 8-10 FOR THE BASE

80g dark chocolate, chopped 450g chocolate bourbon biscuits 100g salted butter, softened

FOR THE FILLING

350g unsweetened chestnut purée 75g dark muscovado sugar, plus extra to taste

30ml double cream

1 tbsp brandy

FOR THE MERINGUE

4 egg whites, at room temperature ¼ tsp cream of tartar

150g caster sugar

■■ Put the chocolate in a food processor with the biscuits. Blitz until they form a crumb, then add the butter and blitz again until it starts to clump together. Press evenly into a deep 28cm fluted pie dish with a removable base and put in the freezer for 10-15 minutes to harden.

■■ Meanwhile, spoon the chestnut purée into a bowl, add the muscovado and beat until the sugar has dissolved. Keep on beating as you pour in the cream and brandy. Pause and taste: add a little more sugar, if you like. Pour into the case, cover and store in the fridge.

■■ For the meringue, place the egg whites in a bowl and whisk on a low speed (if you have an electric whisk) until frothy. Add the cream of tartar and increase the speed to mediumhigh. Beat until soft peaks form, then gradually add the caster sugar and beat until firm peaks form. Dollop the meringue onto the pie and spread it out with the back of a spoon so all the filling is covered. Use the spoon to make small peaks in the meringue and caramelise with a blowtorch.

COOK’S TIP If you want to get ahead, you can pour the filling into the base, cover with cling film and leave in the fridge for up to three days

before adding the meringue and serving.