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4 large free-range egg whites
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200 g golden caster sugar
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sea salt
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100 g hazelnuts, skins removed
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2 x 400 g tinned halved pears in syrup
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2 pieces stem ginger, thinly sliced, optional
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200 g good-quality dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids)
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400 ml double cream
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50 g icing sugar, sifted
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1 vanilla pod, halved and seeds scraped out
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zest of 1 orange
Method
Preheat your oven to 150°C/300°F/gas 2 and line a 40 x 25cm baking tray with a sheet of greaseproof paper.
Put your egg whites into a squeaky clean bowl, making sure there are
absolutely no little pieces of egg shell or egg yolk in them. Whisk on
medium until the whites form firm peaks. With your mixer still running,
gradually add the sugar and then pinch of salt. Turn the mixer up to the
highest setting and whisk for about 7 or 8 minutes, until the meringue
mixture is white and glossy. To test whether it's done you can pinch
some between your fingers – if it feels completely smooth it's ready; if
it's slightly granular it needs a little more whisking.
Dot each corner of the greaseproof paper with a blob of meringue, then
turn it over and stick it to the baking tray. Spoon the meringue out on
to the paper. Using the back of a spoon, shape and swirl it into and A4
size rectangle. Place in the preheated oven and bake for an hour or
until crisp on the outside and a little soft and sticky inside. At the
same time, bake the hazelnuts on a separate tray in the oven for an hour
or until golden brown.
Drain the tins of pears, reserving the syrup from one tin. Cut each pear
half into three slices. Pour the pear syrup into a saucepan with the
ginger and warm gently over a medium heat until it starts to simmer.
Take off the heat and snap the chocolate into the saucepan, stirring
with a spoon until it's all melted.
Take the meringue and hazelnuts out of the oven and leave to cool. Place
the meringue on a nice rustic board or platter. Whip the cream with the
sifted icing sugar and the vanilla seeds until it forms smooth, soft
peaks. Smash the toasted hazelnuts (in a tea towel) and sprinkle half of
them over the top of the meringue. Spoon half the whipped cream over
the top and drizzle with some of the chocolate sauce (if the sauce has
firmed up, melt it slightly by holding the saucepan over a large pan of
boiling water). Divide most of the pear pieces evenly over the top. Pile
over the rest of the whipped cream and pears. Drizzle with some more
chocolate sauce, then sprinkle over the remaining toasted hazelnuts with
some grated orange zest. Serve straight away. If you're making this in
advance, get everything ready and assemble at the last minute.
