Mocha meringue pie

This twist on the classic is best eaten on the day it’s made.

SERVES 12

PREPARATION TIME 35 minutes, plus chilling and cooling

COOKING TIME about 1 hour 15 minutes

FOR THE PASTRY

● 175g plain flour, plus extra to dust

● 25g cocoa powder

● 75g unsalted butter, chilled and cut into cubes

● 50g caster sugar

● 1 medium egg, beaten

FOR THE FILLING

● 150g plain chocolate (about 70% cocoa solids)

● 125g unsalted butter

● 3 medium eggs, at room temperature

● 125g light brown muscovado sugar

● 150ml double cream, at room temperature

● 2tsp espresso powder dissolved in 100ml hot water

FOR THE MERINGUE TOPPING

● 4 medium egg whites

● 200g caster sugar

● 2tsp cornflour

1 Make pastry: pulse flour and cocoa together in a food processor. Add butter and pulse until mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add sugar and pulse to incorporate. Add egg and pulse again until mixture begins to clump together (if it looks dry, add a few drops of cold water and pulse again). Tip on to a work surface, bring together into a disc, wrap in baking parchment and chill for 30min. If you don’t have a food processor, sift flour and cocoa powder together, then rub butter into flour mixture. With a blunt-ended knife, mix in sugar followed by egg, then bring together before chilling.

2 Lightly flour a work surface and roll out pastry. Use it to line a fluted 23cm round, loose-bottom tin (about 3.5cm deep). Prick base all over with a fork, then chill for 20min. Preheat oven to 190°C (170°C fan) mark 5.

3 Line pastry case with baking parchment and fill with baking beans. Bake for 20-25min or until sides are set. Remove paper and beans and return to oven for about 5min, or until base is sandy to the touch. Set aside.

4 Reduce oven temperature to 180°C (160°C fan) mark 4. Make filling: gently melt chocolate and butter in a bowl over a pan of simmering water. Set aside to cool a little. With an electric hand whisk, beat eggs and sugar for 5min, until light and creamy. Fold chocolate mixture into egg mixture, followed by cream and espresso. Spoon into tart case and bake

for 35-40min, until puffed up and just set. 5 When filling is nearly cooked, make the meringue topping. Beat egg whites in a large, clean bowl with a handheld electric whisk until they hold stiff peaks. Gradually add sugar, beating constantly, until thick and glossy. Whisk in cornflour. Remove pie from oven and, working from outside in, pipe or spoon over meringue. Turn oven up to 230°C (210°C fan) mark 8. Return pie to the oven for 3-4min, until meringue is tinged brown. Remove from oven and set aside for at least 30min to cool slightly, before removing from the tin and serving warm.