Chocolate pie with Italian meringue

Melt the butter and mix with the digestive biscuits and sugar. Press the mixture onto the base of a round springform tin, about 18 cm in diameter.

Heat the cream, granulated sugar and muscovado sugar in a saucepan. Put aside.

Whisk the egg yolks lightly together in a bowl. Add the cream mixture while whisking, and pour back into the saucepan. Heat to approximately 85°C.

Finely chop the chocolate and add to the cream mixture. Beat to a smooth mixture and then add the butter a little at a time. Finally add a pinch of salt. Beat until the mixture is smooth.

Pour the chocolate cream over the base and leave to set in the refrigerator for about 2-3 hours.

Whisk the egg whites until light and fluffy. Bring the water, sugar and lemon zest to the boil in a heavy-based saucepan and heat to 120°C. Pour the sugar syrup as a thin stream into the egg whites, while whisking. Continue whisking until the meringue has cooled.

Place the meringue in a piping bag with nozzle of your choice, and pipe over the chocolate pie. Caramelise the meringue using a cook’s blow torch and serve the pie.