Chocolate orange meringues

this is one of the meringues ontop of a chocolate cup filled with orange filling...

these double flavoured meringues are very moreish so watch out

now, these are blood oranges. this is my first experience with them and when i peeled one to eat it i got a shock, it was almost revolting really. cut like this they don't look to strange but it really made my stomach turn to look at them. it looks like someone has literally injected blood into an orange (closely followed by an evil laugh)

creepy but beautiful. i wanted to use these in a recipe so i made orange filling for my chocolate  cups but.. i didnt like the filling in the end so im just showing you the oranges really, no recipe for this part. 

mini cups like this are perfect for rich, sweet bites

yum! the inside of these meringues are chewy and chocolatey with  bitter orange , mmm so good! 

this is a fantastic chocolate ball of unbaked tart crust. it is so rich and delicious, definately will make it again soon. its like cookie dough and  a good  bit of it did not make the oven

Recipe for the chocolate dough crust:

adapted from The Australian women's weekly- Sweet old fashioned favourites, recipe book.

for one 24cm tart/pie

185gr flour

30ml cocoa powder

125gr butter, chopped

1 egg yolk

- mix flour, cocoa, rub in butter with fingertips until combined. add egg yolk and mix until ingredients cling together. add a little water if you need.

- knead dough on a floured surface (more like press together until it forms a smooth dough) wrap in clingwrap and refrigerate for 30 min

- roll out between 2 sheets baking paper. lift it into the tin, press into the sides of the tin and trim the edges.

- put baking parchment paper in tin over dough, fill the paper with dried rice or beans, bake uncovered on 180'c for 15 minutes. remove parchment and beans and bake for a further 10 min.

- pour in your filling of choice and bake according to those instructions.

for small tarts like this, there is no need to bake  them blind (put beans/ceramic beads inside it when you bake beforehand). but they do need to be baked for about 15-20 min by themselves before you put the filling in.

tarts and blood orange filling (did not like how the filling came out, so there is no recipe for that but this rich chocolate crust recipe is here and it will taste good with whatever you fill it with!)

on buttered and cornfloured baking paper (not wax paper or tinfoil!) piped and ready to go!

Recipe for Chocolate-orange meringues

from Easy living but slightly adapted

Ingredients

· 3 large egg whites

· Pinch salt

· 175g (6oz) caster sugar 

- 2 tbsp finely chopped orange rind

- 4 blocks grated dark chocolate

- 2 tbsp cocoa powder

method

1. Heat the oven to 140°C (gas mark 1), and line two baking trays with baking paper.

2. Place the egg whites and a pinch of salt in the bowl of an electric mixer. Using the whisk attachment, beat on a low speed for 1 minute, then increase the speed to medium and whisk for 2-3 minutes, or until the egg whites form fairly stiff but still moist-looking peaks. If you lift the beater out of the bowl, the mixture should look fluffy and cling to the beaters.

3. Continue to whisk, gradually adding the sugar a tablespoon at a time until all the sugar has been added and the mixture is stiff and glossy - this may take 5-10 minutes. 

beat and beat until your eyes go squint and arms starts detaching itself from your body. beat until the misture looks like this. smooth, thick and glossy and it holds its form.

4.divide mixture between two bowls. to one bowl Gently fold in orange rind with a spoon, using large gentle strokes and turning the bowl as you go. Continue until evenly distributed.

chocolate and orange

5. FOR CHOCOLATE MERINGUE bowl: Fold 2tbsp sifted cocoa powder and 40g (1¼ oz) finely chopped or grated dark chocolate into the mixture. 

this is a strange pic i know. but it is looking into the piping bag, you put the two flavours in  on either side and when you squeeze, it comes out two-toned!

6. make/ get a big piping bag, put nozzle on end, i used a large star shaped nozzle. although you can always just snip off the tip of the bag at your desired diameter. spoon orange meringue mixture only onto one side of the bag but spread all the way down from the nozzle to the opening of the bag. spoon chocolate mixture only along the other side, evenly all the way down to the nozzle. now when you squeeze the bag you should get a two coloured flow of meringue!

7. Bake for 30-40 minutes (swapping the position of the tray after 20 minutes), or until pale and dry. Turn off the heat and allow the meringue to cool in the oven with the door slightly ajar.

buon appetito!