Ingredients (serves 6)
* 2 1/4 cups (275g) caster sugar
* 1 1/2 tsp cornflour
* 1/2 tsp Fragrant Sweet Spices or ground cinnamon
* 5 eggwhites
* 2 tsp cocoa powder
* 75g toasted hazelnuts, chopped
* 2 cups (500ml) thickened cream
* 1/4 cup (3 tbs) pure icing sugar, plus extra to dust
* 3-4 tbs Baileys Mint Chocolate Irish Cream
* 8 after-dinner mints, halved diagonally
Method
1. Preheat oven to 140°C (120°C fan-forced). Line bases of three 23cm cake pans with baking paper, or lay three 23cm rounds of baking paper on baking trays.
2. Combine: sugar, cornflour and spices in a bowl. Using electric beaters, whisk the eggwhites until stiff peaks form. Add 2 tablespoons of sugar mixture and beat until meringue is stiff and shiny. Fold in remaining sugar mixture as gently as possible to keep the meringue light and aerated. Sift over the cocoa and fold in, leaving a rippled effect. Divide among pans or trays and spread over bases, leaving 5mm around edges. Sprinkle with nuts. Bake for 1 hour, then leave to cool in switched-off oven for 1 hour. Remove from oven and cool completely.
3. Whip cream, icing sugar and Baileys to soft peaks. Place 1 meringue on a cake stand and spread with almost half the cream. Repeat, reserving a little cream for top. Add last meringue, then spoon reserved cream in centre. Top with halved mints and dust with icing sugar.
Happy Christmas!
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