Decadent meringues filled with chocolate ganache make the perfect afternoon treat.

 

Ingredients

For the meringues

• 3 egg whites
• 7 tbsp granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar

For the chocolate ganache

• 1 cup whipping cream
• 1 tbsp honey 6 oz dark chocolate (70% cocoa), chopped
• 4-½ tbsp unsalted butter, softened
• unsweetened cocoa powder, for dusting

Directions

1 Adjust the oven rack to the upper- and lower-middle positions and preheat the oven to 200ºF.

2 Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. place the egg whites and granulated sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer.

3 Fill a saucepan with an inch of water, set it over medium heat, then position the bowl on the saucepan. Heat the mixture, whisking constantly, until it registers 115ºF on an instant-read thermometer.

4 Fit the bowl on the mixer and whip with the whisk attachment at high speed until the meringue is fluffy, voluminous, and cool to the touch, about 10 minutes.

5 Sift the confectioners’ sugar over the meringue and fold it in with a spatula. Using a spoon, form twenty 3-inch rounds on the prepared baking sheets. bake for 4 hours, until the meringues are crisp and dry.

6 In a medium saucepan, warm the cream and honey over medium heat to just under the boiling point.

7 Put the chocolate in a medium mixing bowl and pour the hot cream over it. gently stir with a spatula until smooth. When the mixture registers 95°F on the thermometer, stir in the butter.

8 Set aside for 2 hours at room temperature to set.

9 To assemble, spread about 2 tbsp ganache on the bottom side of one meringue and sandwich the ganache with another meringue.

10 Repeat with the remaining meringues and ganache. dust with cocoa powder (store in an airtight container for up to 2 days).

Makes 10 meringues.
Prep time: 20 minutes.
Baking time: 4 hours.

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Excerpted from A La Mere De Famille by Julien Merceron. Recipes Copyright © 2011 Julien Merceron, Photography copyright © 2011 Jean Cazals. Excerpted by permission of Chronicle Books, San Francisco. All rights reserved.