Brace Yourself... And Get Ready For The Mont Blanc-Tini

Somewhere between an after-dinner drink and an indulgent dessert, this meringue-topped coffee cocktail is special way to end a festival meal with friends...

This one takes a bit more prep-time, but take it from us, it's totally worth it! And your guests will be gobsmacked with the amount of effort you've gone too.

On the downside, this probably isn't something you'll be drinking all evening, despite how good it tastes! Thanks to BBC Good Food for the excellent recipe. 

Method

1. Start by making the meringue topping. Whisk the egg whites to stiff peaks, then set aside. Put the sugar and 3 tbsp water in a saucepan and set over a low heat. Cook until the sugar has dissolved, then continue to heat, stirring occasionally, until the syrup reaches 120C on a sugar thermometer. While whisking the egg whites with an electric whisk, slowly add the hot syrup in a steady stream, being careful to pour the syrup into the eggs and not onto the sides of the bowl or the whisk, as it may stick. Once all the syrup has been incorporated, continue whisking until the mixture is glossy and stiff – about 5 mins. Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a wide round nozzle until needed. Can be made 1hr ahead–store in a cool place.
2. Now make the base of the cocktails. Pour the vodka, coffee liqueur, espresso, crème de cacao and chestnut liqueur into a cocktail shaker and add a handful of ice. Shake well, then strain into 4 Champagne saucers or small Margarita glasses.

Carefully pipe your meringue topping onto the surface of the glasses, starting on the outside edge and building it up so that it doesn’t sink. Using a blowtorch, very carefully caramelise the top, then add a marron glacé to each. Serve immediately with a spoon.


Ingredients

1. 2 large egg white
2. 100g granulated sugar
3. 200ml Vodka
4. 100g Coffee Liqueur (we used Kahlúa)
5. 50ml cold Espresso Coffee
6. 50ml Crème De Cacao
7. 50ml Chestnut Liqueur (we used Briotett) or Amaretto
8. Ice
9. 4 Marrons Glacés (candied chestnuts)