Chocolate Meringue Pie

This pie is a bit of a show stopper.  Hence, I didn't present it during yesterday's broadcast of Game of Thrones.  All eyes would have been on me the pie, rather than on Sansa... and we couldn't have that now, could we?



Chocolate Meringue Pie
Adapted from here

For the Base:
180g shortbread biscuits
150g unsalted butter, melted
Pinch of salt

For the Filling:
300g dark chocolate
300g milk chocolate
450ml pouring cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the Topping:
440g caster sugar
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
125ml water
150ml (about 4) egg whites

Make the Base:
Put the biscuits into a food processor and blitz until fine.  Add the butter and salt and blitz again until the mixture resembles wet sand.  Press the mixture into a 1 litre capacity pie dish and place in the refrigerator to set.

Make the Filling:
Put the chocolate and cream into a medium saucepan and place over a low heat.  Stir until melted, add the vanilla and pour into the chilled biscuit base.  Place it back into the refrigerator to chill for about an hour, until set.

Make the Topping:
Put 330g of the sugar, the cream of tartar and water into a small saucepan and place over a high heat.  Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and cook without stirring, for 3 - 4 minutes.

Meanwhile, put the egg whites into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and whip them on high speed until soft peaks form.  Add the remaining 110g of sugar one tablespoon at a time, while continuously beating.  Keep the mixer on high speed as you add the hot sugar syrup in a thin stream.  Whisk for a further 3 - 4 minutes.  The mixture will be super thick and glossy.

Assemble:
Spoon the meringue on top of the pie and use a kitchen blow torch to lightly toast it, slightly scorching at the peaks.