Chocolate butterscotch Meringue cake

This week I was deliberating what kind of cake to make, and how I could somehow fit meringue into it (if you havent read some of my previous posts, I LOVE meringues!)

SO I thought why not just skip the cake part and make a meringue cake. I googled this and found a few recipes, but this one by my favourite food porn website Sweetapolita caught my eye. She made a chocolate and marscapone combination but I decided to just go for the classic whipped cream but change up the chocolate flavour by adding butterscotch to my chocolate ganache. Which added a subtle sweetness to a normally rich chocolate sauce.

The verdict from the family was an all round MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM so I'm guessing it was a hit! For a simple recipe it definitely made a taste impact and if you have a lighter decorating touch than I you could probably make it much prettier!!

Chocolate Butterscotch Meringue Cake

Ingredients
9 egg whites
300g caster sugar
225g icing sugar
1 tspn bicarbonate soda

For the ganache
100g chocolate ( I used milk, but you can use dark)
100ml double cream

For the butterscotch sauce
50g caster sugar
50g butter
2 tblespns creme fraiche

For the cream filling
100g icing sugar
400ml double cream

Method
1. Preheat the oven to 150C. In a bowl put the egg whites and bicarbonate of soda in a bowl and whisk on a medium speed until stiff peaks start to form. Gradually add the sugar bit by bit and keep whisking on a medium speed until the meringue has become glossy and is very volumonous.
2. Carefully fold in the icing sugar into the meringue being careful not to knock any air out of it.
3. Mark out a 20cm ring onto 3 sets of parchement paper on baking trays and spread the meringue onto the template shaping it into the circular shape.
4. Bake the meringue cakes in the oven on 150C for 2 hours. If you want them to be more white bake for 3 hours on 100C.
5. For the ganache put the cream into a pan and heat until just boiling.
6. In a bowl break up the chocolate and pour the heated cream over it, stirring gently to melt the chocolate into the cream. Leave aside.
7. In another pan for the butterscotch, put the sugar on a medium heat being careful not to let it burn or go too dark.
8. When the sugar has melted and become golden in colour, add the butter letting it melt. Dont worry it might look like its splitting but keep persevering.
9. Add the creme fraiche to the sugar mix being careful as it will bubble but mix it well. Add the butterscotch mixture to the chocolate ganache and let cool until its very thick.
10. Whip the cream with the icing sugar until its thick enough to spread. Assemble the cake with a layer of cream and chocolate ganache in between. Finish the top of the cake with a flourish of ganache.