Marbled chocolate meringues.

0 of 6 steps completed

1. 1

   Whisk the egg whites

   Whisk the egg whites with the salt and a few drops of lemon juice. Once they form soft peaks, add the caster sugar in three additions, whisking until the mixture becomes glossy and holds a stiff peak on the whisk.

   
2. 2

   The icing sugar

   Sift the icing sugar over the meringue and fold it in by hand with a spatula, from the bottom up, in just a few strokes: the mixture must stay light and firm.

   
3. 3

   Melt the Laica Chocolate Block

   Chop the Laica Extra Dark 72% Chocolate Block with a knife and melt it in a bain-marie, keeping it below 50 °C. Leave it to cool slightly: you will use a third for the marbling and the rest for the bases.

   
4. 4

   The marbling

   Pour a third of the lukewarm melted chocolate over the meringue and give it just one or two turns with the spatula: it should marble, not colour. Any more mixing would erase the veins.

   
5. 5

   Shape and bake

   Using two spoons, drop 20 mounds onto a baking tray lined with baking paper. Bake in a fan oven at 90-95 °C for about 90 minutes, with the door held ajar by a wooden spoon: the meringues should dry out, not colour. Leave them to cool in the switched-off oven.

   
6. 6

   The chocolate-dipped base

   Gently reheat the remaining 72% chocolate and dip the base of each cooled meringue into the melted chocolate. Set them on baking paper and leave to set until the base is matt and crisp.