COOK THE COVER p34

RECIPE Cassie Best PHOTOGRAPH Karen Thomas FOOD STYLIST Tamara Vos

STYLIST Agathé Gits SHOOT DIRECTOR

Ben Curtis

Ideal for a barbecue or garden celebration, this towering stack has indulgent layers of squidgy chocolate brownie cake, chewy meringue, fresh cream and tangy berries.

SERVES 12 PREP 30 mins plus

cooling COOK 1 hr 15 mins MORE EFFORT V

For the brownie cake

175g dark chocolate, finely chopped, plus extra shavings for the top (optional)

200g butter, softened, plus extra for the tin

2 eggs, plus 2 yolks

50g caster sugar

150g light brown soft sugar

175g plain flour

25g cocoa powder

11/2 tsp baking powder

2 tbsp milk

50g Greek yogurt

For the meringue

2 egg whites

100g caster sugar

1 tsp cornflour

For the filling and topping

500g mixed berries (we used

strawberries and raspberries)

300ml double cream

1 tbsp icing sugar

1 Melt the chocolate in a bowl over a pan of gently simmering water, ensuring the bowl doesn’t touch the water, or in short bursts in the microwave, then set aside to cool a little. Butter two 20cm loosebottomed deep cake tins and line the base and sides with baking parchment. Heat the oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3.

2 Put all the brownie ingredients, including the melted chocolate, in a bowl, then beat with an electric whisk until well mixed. Divide between the cake tins and level the tops using the back of a spoon or a palette knife.

3 Work quickly to make the meringue, ensuring your whisks and bowl are entirely clean and grease-free (or the egg whites won’t whip up to their full volume). Put the egg whites in the bowl and whisk for a couple of minutes until stiff. Add the sugar, a spoonful at a time, whisking continuously to stiff peaks, then whisk in the cornflour. Use a spoon to dot the meringue all over the top of one of the cakes, then using the back of the spoon, spread it to the edge of the tin, being careful not to disturb the cake mixture underneath. Make nice swirly dips and peaks as you spread.

4 Bake both cakes for 45 mins, then remove the cake without the meringue topping and quickly close the oven door. Cook the meringue-topped cake for a further 30 mins, then remove from the oven and leave both cakes to cool completely in their tins.

5 Slice any strawberries (if using), keeping a few with stalks on for the top of the cake. Whisk the cream and icing sugar to soft peaks. Remove the brownie base cake from its tin and peel off the baking parchment. Place it on a plate or cake stand. Use a spoon to swirl a little over half of the cream over the cake and top with half of the berries. Carefully remove the meringuetopped cake from the tin and remove the parchment. Place it on top of the cream and berries, and spoon dollops of the remaining cream on top, filling any cracks or dips in the meringue. Top with the remaining fruit and some chocolate shavings, if you like, and serve within an hour. Leftovers will keep in the fridge for two days.

GOOD TO KNOW vit c

PER SERVING 543 kcals • fat 36g • saturates 21g • carbs 47g • sugars 34g • fibre 4g • protein 6g • salt 0.5g