Meringues with chocolate cream and cherries

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 150C/gas 1. Place the egg whites in a large mixing bowl and whisk to soft peaks. Add the sugar, a little at a time, and whisk continuously until stiff and glossy.

2. Draw 8 x 4cm circles on greaseproof paper, and pipe discs using a piping bag fitted with a plain nozzle. You could use a spoon to dollop the meringue onto the greaseproof paper. Bake for about 30 minutes, until the meringue is crisp on the outside and soft inside.

3. For the chocolate cream; melt the chocolate in a bowl placed over a pan of simmering water. Bring the cream to a boil and pour onto the melted chocolate. Whisk until smooth, flavour with vanilla essence and leave on one side.

4. Remove the stones from the cherries and transfer to a pan. Sprinkle with sugar and add the red wine and cinnamon stick. Bring the contents of the pan to simmering point before turning off the heat and leaving the cherries to infuse in the juices. Set aside for about 20 minutes.

5. Strain the juice from the cherries, reserving the fruit and discarding the cinnamon.
6. Put the pan back on the stove and cook the liquid down to a thickish syrup. Return the cherries to the pan and leave to cool.

7. To assemble the dessert, place a disc of meringue in the centre of each plate and top with a spoonful of chocolate cream. Scatter with cherries and add another dollop of cream.

8. Finish with the remaining meringue rounds and dust with grated white chocolate or icing sugar. Any leftover cherries and syrup can be served with the dessert.