Espresso and chocolate ice cream sandwiches

Method

1. For the meringue: preheat the oven to 100C/gas ¼. Sift the icing sugar and cocoa powder into a bowl. Stir in 60g of the caster sugar.

2. Place the egg whites in a separate clean bowl and add 3 tablespoons of the remaining caster sugar. Whisk the mixture until soft peaks form when the whisk is removed from the bowl.

3. Stir the remaining sugar into the icing sugar and cocoa powder mixture. Continue to whisk, gradually adding the sugar and cocoa powder mixture until the meringue is glossy and stiff.

4. Place the meringue into a piping bag and pipe the mixture into circles onto a tray lined with baking parchment - the circles should be about the size of a large digestive biscuit.

5. Place into the preheated oven and cook overnight, or until the meringues release themselves from the paper. Leave to cool.

6. For the espresso cream: combine the sugar, coffee, cream and mascarpone in a mixing bowl.

7. To serve: pipe or scoop the double-chocolate and caramel ice cream onto half of the meringues evenly, add a dollop of espresso cream and press a second meringue onto each to form a sandwich. Dust with a little bitter cocoa powder and top with any remaining espresso cream. Any broken meringues can be crumbled over the top for decoration. Serve.