A Hot Eton Mess (Or a Less Messy Nest!)

Directions

1. To make the meringues and the poached oranges and the toasted coconut
2. For the Meringues: Preheat your oven to 200 degrees. Place one oven rack in the bottom of your oven, and another rack in the middle of the oven. Prepare 2 baking sheets with sheets of either aluminum foil or parchment paper. Mix the powdered sugar, cocoa, and the spices in a bowl, stirring thoroughly with a wire whisk. Place the egg whites and the cream of tartar in a stand up mixer, and beat until soft peaks form. Then, add 2 TBS. of the sugar and beat until the whites are stiffer. Gradually add the remaining sugar to the mixer, one tablespoon at a time, and then beat about 3 minutes until the meringue is very stiff. Transfer to a large glass bowl.
3. With 3 additions, fold the dry mixture into the meringue until all the ingredients are incorporated and the color is uniform. Use a pastry bag to pipe the meringues onto the baking sheets, both in logs and typical puff shapes. (For a nest, pipe a 2 to 3 " circle, and then pipe a single "wall" atop the perimeter of the meringue circle.) Bake for 2 hours, rotating the trays and turning them after an hour. After 2 hours, turn off the oven and keep the oven door ajar by inserting a wooden spoon into the oven door. Transfer the cooled meringues into a container lined with parchment paper until ready for use. The meringues can be made a day in advance.
4. For the Poached Oranges: Supreme the oranges. Add the juice you can squeeze from the pulp to the poaching liquid as indicated in the next step.
5. For the Poached Oranges: Place the water and sugar in a medium saucepan, stir until all the sugar is dissolved, bring to a boil, and then reduce the heat. Add the orange juices, the orange peel and the cinnamon stick, and continue to simmer until the liquid is thicker. Give a quick shake of cayenne to the liquid, stir, and turn off the heat. Allow to cool at room temperature. When the poaching liquid is cooled, place the supremes in the liquid, cover, and place in the refrigerator. The supremes can be prepared a day or two in advance.
6. Place the coconut in a pan that you can put in the toaster oven, and toast for less than 2 minutes. Watch carefully! As soon as the coconut is toasted, stir the agave syrup directly into the coconut. Allow to cool, and store in a covered container. The coconut can be made in advance.

1. For the Spicy Chocolate Sauce, the Whipped Cream, and Assembly
2. Heat 1 cup of the heavy cream, agave syrup, and the spices in a medium saucepan. Bring to a quick simmer. Add the orange peel, the cinnamon stick, and the cayenne pepper. Reduce heat and cook for a few more minutes. Turn off the heat and allow the cream to sit for an hour in order to be infused.
3. Heat the chocolate chips in a bowl placed over a saucepan of simmering water. When the chocolate is melted, gradually add the infused cream, stirring constantly. Keep the chocolate over the saucepan at the lowest possible heat while you prepare the whipped cream.
4. Add one cup of heavy cream to the chilled bowl of a stand up mixer. Beat until the cream begins to thicken, then add the vanilla bean seeds. Gradually add the sugar, and beat until cream is nicely whipped.
5. To assemble the mess, spoon a teaspoon of the chocolate sauce into a parfait glass. Crumble a meringue, and add another spoon of chocolate sauce. Add some whipped cream. Then, add another crumbled meringue, some chocolate sauce and then add a layer of orange supremes, with a spoonful of poaching liquid. Then, add another layer of whipped cream. Repeat the process as you choose, but make sure you have 2 layers of orange supremes. Top with whipped cream, and then add toasted coconut, and finally some orange zest. After the first bite, the mess begins!
6. Cook's Note: For the less messy nest, place a tablespoon of the chocolate sauce in the center of a dessert plate, and swirl it around the plate. Firmly place the meringue nest atop the pool of sauce. Pour another spoon of sauce in the nest, followed by a tablespoon of whipped cream. Then, add 4 or 5 orange supremes, and spoon a tablespoon of poaching liquid atop the supremes, and a few drops around the plate. Top supremes with another dollop of whipped cream, and crown with the toasted coconut and a few bits of orange zest.