Chocolate Meringues with Rum-Whipped Cream

These meringues are foolproof – they are ‘cooked’ as they are made, by whisking the egg whites and the icing sugar together over the heat. The cocoa powder is then folded into the thick meringue. Don’t be tempted to whisk the cocoa into the egg whites together with the icing sugar, or the meringue simply will not thicken. These meringues can be stored in an airtight container for several days, and sandwiched together with the rum-flavoured whipped cream two or three hours before serving.