Easter chocolate meringue nests

Ingreadient

• 75g light brown soft sugar
• 150g caster sugar
• 4 medium free-range egg whites (see tips)
• ½ tsp cream of tartar
• 600ml double or whipping cream
• 60g malted milk drink powder (such as Horlicks)
• 2 x 102g bags Maltesers, roughly chopped
• Hollow chocolate eggs such as mini Easter eggs (about the size of Cadbury Creme Eggs)
• Edible dried or crystallised flowers (optional) – we used violet petals and dried cornflowers

Instruction

1. Heat the oven to 140°C/120°C fan/gas 1. To make the meringue, mix the sugars and set aside. Whisk the egg whites using an electric hand mixer, on a low speed at first, then gradually increase the speed to medium-high. Mix until soft, floppy peaks form (about 4 minutes). Add the sugar 1 tbsp at a time, returning the mixture to soft peaks before adding the next tablespoon, until the mixture is thick and glossy. Quickly beat in the cream of tartar.
2. Draw 8 x 8cm rings spaced well apart on the baking paper on one of the baking sheets, using a mug to draw round, then put a heaped tbsp of meringue in each circle. Roughly spread with a palette knife or spoon to make round flat nest bases. You’ll still have between a third and a half of the meringue mixture left.
3. On the second baking sheet, spread 32 smallish blobs of the remaining meringue into ‘twigs’ (to build up the sides of the nests) about 4cm-6cm long and 2cm wide, and not as deep as the bases – they don’t need to be even or neat. Bake all the meringues for 1 hour, then turn the oven off – without opening the door – and leave for 3 hours. Transfer the meringues to a wire rack to cool completely (see Make Ahead).
4. When ready to assemble, whip half the cream with the malted milk drink powder in a large mixing bowl until thick and just holding its shape, then whip the rest of the cream in a separate bowl so it’s also just holding its shape. Swirl the plain cream into the malted cream with a handful of chopped Maltesers.
5. Spread a little of the malted swirl cream on each meringue nest, making an indent for the eggs to sit in the middle. Use more cream, the meringue twigs and broken malteasers to build up the sides of the nests. Set the hollow eggs in the middle and add any leftover chopped maltesers, then top with edible flowers to finish.