Coffee nut meringues

Pre-heat the oven to 140C/120C Fan/Gas 1. Line 2 baking trays with baking paper.

Put the sugar in a small pan with 100ml water. Heat slowly until it dissolves. Then boil steadily to 120C (if tested with a sugar thermometer), or until 1/4 tspof the syrup dropped into cold water forms a firm ball.

Put the egg whites in a large bowl and whisk into stiff, glossy peaks.

Pour the syrup into the bowl, in a slow, steady stream - whisk continually and make sure the syrup doesn't run directly over the beaters, or it will splash. Continue whisking until the mixture is completely cold.

Add the coffee and whisk for a few seconds, until just combined. Set aside 1 tbsp of the nuts and fold in the rest. Put heaped teaspoons of the mixture on the trays, then sprinkle the reserved nuts over half of them. Bake for 1 hour 15 minutes, or until they can be easily lifted off the paper. They will feel slightly sticky but will become dry and crisp after a few minutes. Leave to cool.

Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pan half-filled with boiling water - make sure the base of the bowl doesn't touch the water.

Dip the bases of the meringues in the chocolate, then leave, chocolate-side up, on a tray lined with clean baking paper to set.