Mocha Reverie - Coffee Cake with Meringue

Mocca Reverie Recipe - Coffee Cake with Meringue

If you are a cooking enthusiast and love the combination of chocolate and coffee, this coffee cake recipe with meringue, called Mocca Reverie, will quickly become your favorite. With a moist and rich chocolate base, filled with intense coffee flavor and topped with a light and crispy meringue, this elegant dessert is perfect for any occasion. The total preparation time is approximately 2 hours, with a baking time of 30 minutes, and it is enough for 8 servings. Let's get started!

Ingredients:

For the chocolate base:
- 200 g dark chocolate (minimum 70% cocoa)
- 100 g butter
- 150 g sugar
- 4 eggs
- 100 g flour
- 50 g chocolate chips
- 50 g coffee beans (preferably roasted coffee beans for an intense flavor)

For the coffee filling:
- 250 ml heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons instant coffee
- 50 g powdered sugar

For the meringue:
- 3 egg whites
- 150 g sugar
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice

Instructions:

1. Start by preparing the chocolate base. Preheat the oven to 180°C and prepare a baking pan with a circle of parchment paper with a diameter of 26 cm. This will facilitate removing the cake from the pan after baking.

2. In a heat-resistant bowl, melt the chocolate together with the butter over a double boiler, stirring until you achieve a smooth mixture. Make sure not to boil the water in the pot, as too strong steam can affect the consistency of the chocolate.

3. In another bowl, beat the eggs with the sugar until the mixture becomes frothy and light in color. Gently fold the melted chocolate mixture into the eggs, being careful not to lose air from the mixture.

4. Sift the flour and gradually add it to the chocolate mixture, stirring gently. Finally, add the chocolate chips and ground coffee beans, mixing until everything is well combined.

5. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the base cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely.

6. While the base is cooling, you can prepare the coffee filling. In a bowl, whip the heavy cream with the powdered sugar and instant coffee until you achieve a firm consistency. Make sure the cream is cold for better whipping.

7. Once the base has cooled completely, spread the coffee filling evenly over it. Then cover the cake with plastic wrap and let it chill in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes to set.

8. While the cake is cooling, you can prepare the meringue. In a clean bowl, beat the egg whites together with the lemon juice until frothy. Gradually add the sugar, continuing to beat until you achieve a glossy and firm meringue.

9. Preheat the oven to 120°C. Use a spatula to spread the meringue evenly over the chilled cake, creating decorative peaks if desired. Bake the cake with meringue for 1 hour, then turn off the oven and let it cool inside to prevent the meringue from cracking.

10. Once the meringue has cooled completely, you can serve the cake cut into portions. A wonderful idea is to decorate it with roasted coffee beans or a drizzle of caramel sauce for a delicious contrast.

Helpful tips:
- If you want an even more intense coffee flavor, you can replace the instant coffee in the filling with freshly brewed espresso.
- For a less sweet version, you can reduce the amount of sugar in the meringue.
- Make sure all ingredients are at room temperature for a uniform consistency.

Enjoy every slice of Mocca Reverie, a coffee cake with meringue that will delight your senses and those of your loved ones!