Chocolate Meringue Cake with Raspberry Sauce

Directions

Preheat oven to 200 degrees.

Cover 2 cookie sheets with baking parchment paper or aluminum foil.

Draw two 9-inch circles on paper.

Whisk the egg whites and 1 teaspoon lemon juice in a bowl until they hold soft peaks.

Add the sugar a spoonful at a time, beating constantly until all the sugar is incorporated and the meringue is stiff and shiny.

Divide the meringue between the two circles on te paper; spread evenly to the edges.

Bake for 4 hours, then turn off oven.

Leave the meringues in the oven until they are cold.

Meringues may be made up ahead of time and stored in cardboard box.

Chop the chocolate into small chunks.

Heat 1 cup of the cream and the coffee granules to boiling; drop in the chocolate.

Remove from heat and stir until chocolate is completely melted and mixture is smooth.

Allow to cool, then chill for 1 to 2 hours.

Beat the chocolate mixture until it stiffens and becomes light in color.

It should be of spreading consistency.

Spread the cream on 1 meringue disk and sandwich the 2 meringues together.

To freeze the disks, put them in the freezer until frozen then wrap in foil.

To make sauce: defrost the raspberrires. Purée in blender.

Strain into a freezer container.

Stir in ¼ cup confectioners sugar and remaining lemon juice until smooth.

Freeze until ready to serve.

To serve: defrost the cake overnight in refrigerator. Unwrap and set on serving dish. Whip the remaining ½ cup cream with remaining ¼ cup confectioners' sugar until stiff.

Decorate the top with cream and finish with candy beans.

Pour a puddle of sauce on each plate and set a wedge of cake on top.