Brown sugar meringues with chocolate crème fraiche

Method

1. Preheat the oven to its lowest setting - 110C/gas 1/2. Line 2 baking trays with parchment paper.

2. Whisk the egg whites to stiff peak stage. Add the muscovado sugar and continue whisking until the mixture becomes a thick glossy meringue. Fold in the caster sugar.

3. Spoon mounds of meringue - around a tablespoonful each - onto the baking trays. You can also pipe small, neat mounds using a piping bag and 0.5cm plain nozzle.

4. Bake for about 2 hours, until the meringues have completely dried out. At this stage, they will lift easily from the tray without sticking, and the bottoms will be firm to touch. Cool on a wire rack.

5. For the chocolate cream, break the chocolate into small pieces and place in a heatproof bowl. Place the bowl over a pan of simmering water, making sure that the base of the bowl does not come into contact with the water.

6. Melt the chocolate, taking care not to overheat, otherwise it will separate. Lift the bowl off the pan of water and leave to cool until tepid, but still runny.

7. Stir in the crème fraiche and sweeten, if liked, with a little icing sugar. Sandwich the meringues together in pairs with a thick layer of the chocolate cream. Serve straight away.