Brownie meringue cake

   Recipe updated september 2018

   Do you know those moments when you have chocolate cravings and you can't decide between a chocolate cake or a brownie?Well,this was exactly what i felt when i whipped up this cake.

This is a dense, rich and decadent cross between a chocolate brownie and a chocolate cake with a cracked meringue on top which adds a homemade charm to the finished cake.

This cake has 2 layers of goodness,a fudgy chocolatey brownie base and a crispy meringue on top,very similar to that crackly crust from a freakin good brownie,every chocolate lover's dream! 

Yield:6-8 slices

Ingredients:

for the cake:

• 250g dark chocolate 70% cocoa,roughly chopped
• 200g unsalted butter,softened
• 100g caster sugar
• 100g brown sugar
• 4eggs(M-L size)
• 70g all-purpose flour,sifted
• 1 teaspoon instant coffee

for the meringue:

• 3egg whites
• 150g super fine sugar
• 15 cocoa powder,sifted
• 1teaspoon white vinegar
• 1teaspoon cornstarch,sifted

DIRECTIONS

• Preheat oven to 175ºC/347ºF(convection/fan forced mode)
• Grease and line with parchment paper bottom and sides of a 23cm(9inches) diameter springform pan.
• Melt chocolate and butter in medium bowl set over a saucepan with barely simmering water,making sure the bottom of bowl doesn't touch the surface of the water.Once chocolate is melted add brown sugar and instant coffee and stir to combine.Remove from heat and let it stand for a couple minutes.
• Meanwhile,in a large bowl whisk eggs with caster sugar until mixture looks frothy and doubles in size.
• Slowly pour melted chocolate over beaten eggs and with an electric mixer at low speed whisk briefly just until well combined.
• Using a rubber spatula fold in the flour.
• Pour the brownie mixture into prepared pan and bake for 20 minutes at 175ºC until it's just barely set.
• Now,start to make the meringue.

For the meringue:

It takes between 10 to15 minutes to make the meringue.Make sure the meringue is done at the same time you have to remove the cake from the oven otherwise will collapse

• Place egg whites in a large,clean bowl and start to whisk adding sugar gradually (1tablespoon at a time)then add white vinegar and continue whisking on high speed until the meringue is smooth,glossy and the sugar is completely dissolved.
• Sift cocoa powder and cornstarch together then using a rubber spatula gently fold them into meringue.
• Then,remove the brownie from the oven and cover with meringue evenly.
• Return to oven and bake for a further 30 minutes until a crust forms on top.
• After this time ,remove the pan from the oven, place it on the counter table and allow the cake to cool slightly before removing it from the pan. 
• Serve warm with fresh berries and ice cream.

Recipe Notes:

The meringue rises and cracks on top during baking and while is cooling will collapse slightly in the center and it's pretty normal so keep calm and drink your coffee because you didn't do anything wrong!

That's all, folks!
Enjoy!

⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸺
If you make this recipe,please let me know how it turned out!
Post your version on  instagram,tag @lady.j.bakes or leave me a comment below!