PANETTONE CAKE

To make the chocolate sauce, put all the ingredients in a bowl and microwave for 2 x 30 second bursts, stir until the chocolate has melted and you have a smooth sauce; leave to cool and thicken

To make the meringue, preheat the oven to 120C/Gas ½; beat the egg whites until stiff; add the sugar 1 tablespoon at a time and beat well after each addition; beat in the cornflour and vinegar just before you add the last few tablespoons of sugar; spoon the meringue into a plastic bag; cut one corner and pipe small mounds of meringue on a lined baking tray; bake in the pre-heated oven for 2 hours; switch off the oven and leave the meringues to cool inside

Cut the panettone into 4 horizontally; mix the mascarpone with the cream until smooth

Layer the cake with chocolate and mascarpone, pressing down gently on the layers; dust the top with icing sugar and pile some meringues on top

Leave to stand for 20 minutes before serving to make it easier to cut