Dark Chocolate & Pistachio Meringues

Preheat the oven to 120°C fan. Line a baking tray with baking parchment.

In a bowl, use an electric whisk to whip the egg whites with the juice of the lemon juice and a pinch of salt for about 2 mins until soft peaks form. Slowly beat in the sugar, 2 tbsp at a time, and continue until thick and glossy and stiff peaks are forming (when you hold the whisk up, the mixture should stand in a firm peak). Sieve the cocoa powder then fold it into the meringue mix, using a metal spoon or spatula.

Using a metal dessert spoon (or a piping bag with the 1M nozzle / 1.5cm open star nozzle attached), transfer neat tablespoon-sized dollops of meringue onto your baking tray.

Bake for 1 hour, or until set, then turn off the oven and leave the meringues inside to dry for another hour with the oven door closed.

Meanwhile, roughly chop the pistachios, or grind them with a pestle and mortar until fine but not powdery.

When the meringues are cool, break the chocolate into pieces. Add to a heat proof mixing bowl and set over a pot of gently boiling water (a bain marie). Stir until melted.

Very carefully, dip the base of each meringue first in the chocolate, then in the crushed pistachio. Alternatively, use a teaspoon to zig-zag chocolate across the top of each meringue and dust with pistachio.