“A classic meringue dessert with a chestnut cream filling, I have been making this for more years than I care to remember. It is ideal for entertaining as the meringue circles can be made a week or so beforehand and stored in an airtight container until required. For perfection, cook the meringues in three sessions, this saves juggling with the plain shelves.”

Ingredients
Serves 10-12

•    6 large free range egg whites
•    350g (12 oz) caster sugar
•    300ml (½ pint) double cream
•    1 can sweetened chestnut purée
•    1-2 tbsp brandy

To decorate:

•    25g (1 oz) plain chocolate, melted
•    Marrons glace


Method

Make the meringue in three separate sessions. Whisk two egg whites until stiff, they should not move if you take the bowl from the mixer and turn it upside down! Then whisk in a third of the sugar (4 oz) a teaspoon at a time. Place the meringue into a piping bag fitted with a star nozzle. Line an Aga plain shelf with Bake-O-Glide. Firstly pipe two meringue oval shapes (for decorating the top) onto one side of the plain shelf, then pipe a 20cm (8 inch) circle of meringue onto the other side.

2 and 3 oven Aga: Place in the simmering oven. Cook for about 1½-2 hours. If the meringues are coloured to your liking but not completely dried out then finish by placing the shelf on the insulated lids (protect first with a chef’s pad) and leave for a few hours. Turn the shelf occasionally.

4 oven Aga: Slide the plain shelf into the centre of the warming oven, cook for about 2-2½ hours, turning the plain shelf occasionally.

Repeat twice more so you end up with three meringue disks and six oval shapes. Cool the meringues. Whip the cream until it is at a ‘soft peak’ and reserve some for decoration. Beat the chestnut purée with the brandy until it is smooth and stir it into the remaining cream.  Sandwich the three meringue circles together with the chestnut cream mixture, leaving the top circle free for decorating.

Melt the chocolate in a piping bag on the back of the Aga, or the warming plate.

To decorate, take a small amount of cream and use to stick five or six meringue ovals on the top, then place oval shapes of cream between them. Decorate the centre with the marrons glace and pipe the melted chocolate over the cream. Fill and decorate the torte about 1-2 hours before serving.

Tip: Choose a dry day for making meringues - they do not like a damp atmosphere!