Gooey Chocolate Stack

Total Time: 1 hr 45 mins Preparation Time: 45 mins Cook Time: 1 hr

Ingredients

• 6 large egg whites
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 tablespoons cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
• 6 large egg yolks
• 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 1/3 cups whole milk
• 1 1/3 cups heavy cream
• 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons pistachios (or almonds)

Recipe

• 1 preheat oven to 250 degrees f.
• 2 line the baking sheets with parchment and draw and 8-inch circle in each one with a bow or cake pan and use that to outline it.
• 3 whisk egg whites until stiff, then add sugar a spoonful at a time, beating in well after each addition. it takes patience. sprinkle over the cocoa and vinegar and fold in gently but firmly.
• 4 divide the meringue disks among the 3 circles, spreading evenly. don’t worry about beating the air out of them.
• 5 cook for 1 hour, then turn off the oven, leaving the meringues until cool. if you keep them in an airtight container in-between parchment paper they will keep for a week.
• 6 now for the creme patissiere: beat the egg yolks and sugar togethe, then add the cocoa and flour, whisking well. warm the milk and cream in a saucepan, then, whisking, pour this onto the eggs and sugar before pouring everything back into the saucepan on the heat, stirring constantly, bring it to a boil. when the mixture has thickened, take it off the heat and stir in the melted chocolate and vanilla.
• 7 let it cool now, but avoid putting it in the refrigerator as it will become too solid. you can stop it forming a askin either by covering it with buttered parchment paper. another option is to stick it in a bowl of ice water and keep stirring it until it is cold.
• 8 to assemble the cake place one of the meringues discs on a flat plate or cake stand, spread with a third of the chocolate creme, then carry on layering. spread the top with chopped nuts of your choice.