Aniseed Almond Meringues Food

ALMOND MERINGUES

Steps:

• Position oven racks in the top and bottom thirds of the oven and preheat to 250 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment.
• Beat the egg whites and salt with an electric mixer on medium-high speed in a large bowl until foamy. Add the cream of tartar and continue to beat until soft peaks form. While beating, gradually add the sugar and then continue to beat until stiff peaks form. Beat in the almond extract.
• Transfer the mixture to a pastry bag fitted with a star pastry tip and pipe 1-inch meringues onto the prepared baking sheets, about 1-inch apart. Bake until the meringues are no longer glossy and feel light and dry when picked up, about 1 hour. Turn off the oven but leave the meringues inside with the door cracked open until the meringues are completely cooled and dry, about 2 hours more. The meringues can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.

COCONUT ALMOND MERINGUES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• In a mixing bowl, combine almond flour, powdered sugar, coconut flakes, and flour.
• In another mixing bowl, whip the egg whites to soft peaks and add the sugar. Whip to medium peaks. Gently fold in the dry ingredients.
• Spoon the mixture into a pastry bag set with plain tip. Pipe into rings on a parchment-lined baking sheet, and bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes.

MANDELMAKRONEN (ALMOND MERINGUES)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Beat egg whites in a glass, metal, or ceramic bowl until stiff peaks form. Gradually add sugar, 1 teaspoon at a time, while continuing to beat at high speed. Combine ground almonds and cinnamon in a bowl and fold into the egg white mixture with a spatula. Add more ground almonds if mixture is too runny.
• Use 2 teaspoons to place little mounds of almond mixture 2 inches apart onto the prepared baking sheets.
• Bake in the preheated oven until lightly browned and baked through, 15 to 20 minutes. Carefully remove from baking sheets and cool on wire racks.

CHOCOLATE-ALMOND MERINGUES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 250 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. Place egg whites and cream of tartar in a clean, dry bowl of a stand mixer and beat until foamy. Add sugar and almond extract beat until meringues hold soft peaks, about 3 minutes. Fold in chocolate gently until just incorporated. Using a pastry bag or a sealable plastic bag with the corner snipped off, pipe meringue by the tablespoon onto cookie sheets. Bake for 40 minutes, then remove from oven and let cool completely before removing from parchment paper. Transfer to an airtight container.

BLACKBERRY & ALMOND MERINGUE CAKE

Steps:

• Line the base of two loose-bottomed 20cm non-stick sandwich tins with baking parchment. Heat oven to 160C/fan 140C/gas 3.
• Put all the cake ingredients (except the blackberries and using just half the milk) in a bowl, then beat until creamy and well mixed. Stir in 100g blackberries, along with the extra milk if you need it to loosen the mixture a little. Divide between the sandwich tins and level the tops.
• Quickly whisk the egg whites in a clean bowl, adding the 100g sugar, a spoonful at a time, until really thick and glossy. Lightly spread onto one of the cakes, then sprinkle with the flaked almonds and extra sprinkle of sugar. Bake both cakes for 40 mins, then take the cake without the meringue out of the oven and set aside. Bake the remaining cake for 30 mins more until a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean. Carefully remove cakes from the tins and cool on a wire rack. When the cakes are cold, peel off the paper.
• To serve, spread the cream on the plain cake right up to the edges. Spoon over the bramble jelly, then sandwich with the meringue-topped cake and decorate with the remaining blackberries.

ALMOND MERINGUE COOKIES

Steps:

• Prehat oven to 250 degrees F.
• Line a cookie sheet (or two) with parchment paper or aluminum foil.
• Place egg whites in a totally grease free bowl and beat until frothy (medium speed) Add cream of tartar, beat at high speed until soft peaks form.
• Beat in the almond extract and the sugar, 1 tbsp at a time.
• Continue to beat until the meringue is shiny& stiff.
• Gently fold in the almonds.
• Drop by tbsp onto the parchment covered cookie sheet.
• Bake in the center of the oven for 30 minutes, then turn the oven off, do not open the oven door and let the cookies sit for another 30 minutes Remove from the oven and cool ON THE BAKING SHEETS before trying to remove.
• Keep in tighly closed tins.

ANISE-ALMOND COOKIES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees.
• Mix flour, almonds and salt, set aside.
• Beat butter and sugar until creamy.
• Blend in egg and extract.
• Gradually mix in flour mixture.
• Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased cookie sheet.
• Bake 10 - 12 minutes until golden brown.

CHERRY ALMOND MERINGUES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 225 degrees.
• Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Chop the dried cherries and almonds into small bits.
• Using an electric mixer beat egg whites, cream of tartar, almond extract and salt until the eggs form soft peaks. While continuing to beat, add sugar one tablespoon at a time. Continue to beat for an additional two or three minutes until sugar granules have dissolved and the eggs form stiff peaks. I found the batter to be quite sticky at this point.
• Gently fold in the cherries and almonds into the egg mixture. Make sure you have a nice even distribution.
• To make the meringues, you can drop the batter in rounded tablespoons onto the parchment about one inch apart. Alternately, place the batter into a large resealable bag and snip off about 3/8 inch of one tip. Pipe small mounds about the size of a medium walnut.
• Place baking sheets into the oven and bake one hour. Rotate the cookie sheets turning front to back. If one sheet is above the other in your oven (not side-to-side) then flip the sheets as well. Continue baking until the meringues are dry, about an additional hour.
• Remove the baking sheets from the oven and allow the meringues to completely cool before removing them from the parchment.
• Store in an air tight container for up to one week.

ALMOND & LEMON MERINGUE ROULADE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5 and line a Swiss roll tin (about 23 x 30cm) with baking parchment.
• Whisk the egg whites in a clean bowl until stiff. Slowly add the sugar, still whisking, until stiff and glossy.
• Fold in the almond extract, vinegar and ground almonds until lightly incorporated. Pour into the Swiss roll tin and smooth over, tapping the tin to remove any big air bubbles.
• Bake for 30-35 mins or until the top is golden and feels firm and set. Remove from oven, cover with baking parchment and a damp tea towel. Leave to cool.
• To serve, whip the cream until thick. Spoon a third into a piping bag and set aside. Invert the roulade onto a large sheet of baking parchment sprinkled with icing sugar. Carefully peel off lining paper and spread over the lemon curd, then spread over the rest of the cream.
• Roll up carefully, using the paper to help you. Pipe the remaining cream on top of the roulade, and decorate with flaked almonds and strawberry halves.

ALMOND MERINGUE WITH SUMMER BERRIES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5. Scatter the almonds on a baking sheet and roast for 6-8 mins until golden. Very coarsely grind them in a small food processor, then set aside. Lower oven to 160C/fan 140C/gas 3. Line a baking sheet with non-stick baking parchment.
• Beat the egg whites in a scrupulously clean mixing bowl until stiff peaks have formed. Tip in half the sugar and beat again until stiff peaks are formed once more. Using a metal spoon, deftly fold in the remaining sugar a spoonful at a time, followed by most of the almonds (keep a small handful back). Tip the meringue onto the lined sheet and spread it out quite roughly to a 20cm circle. Scatter over the reserved almonds. Bake for 20 mins, reduce the temperature to 140C/120C fan/gas 1, then bake for a further 40 mins. Let meringue cool in the oven with the door ajar or on the side as you wish.
• While the meringue is baking, and if you wish to add the glamour of a raspberry ripple to the cream, make a few spoonfuls of purée by pressing 125g of the raspberries through a sieve.
• When nearing the moment for assembly, whip the cream until soft and cloudy. Lightly ripple through about half, or more, of the raspberry purée through the cream. You can serve the rest separately on the side. Place the meringue upon a handsome dish. Spoon the whipped cream liberally over the meringue. Slice the strawberries in a random manner. Heap the berries atop the cream, and offer any remaining fruit separately. Sift over the icing sugar. Take to the table and take a bow.

JAPONAISE (ALMOND MERINGUE) TORTE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F.
• Grease and flour 3 baking trays, or line them with baking paper, and mark each with an 8" circle.
• Place ground almonds, superfine sugar and cornstarch in a small bowl, mix together, and set aside.
• Using an electric mixer, beat the egg whites in a small bowl until they form soft peaks.
• Gradually add the extra superfine sugar, and continue beating until the mixture resembles uncooked meringue.
• Carefully fold the almond mixture, that was set aside, into the meringue.
• Spread meringue mixture on to each of the 3 trays inside the marked circles, or use a piping bag with a 1/2" nozzle to pipe a spiral within each circle.
• Place two of the trays on the centre shelf of the oven and the third on the shelf below.
• Bake for 25 minutes or until meringue is a pale, golden colour- if necessary move the bottom tray to the centre shelf and cook a further 5 minutes.
• Allow the trays to cool on wire racks for 10 minutes before loosening the meringues with a large spatula- do not remove meringues from trays until they have completely cooled.
• For the coffee butter cream- bring the sugar and water to the boil in a small pan, then reduce heat and simmer until the syrup thickens.
• Remove from heat and add the coffee essence, and stir briefly to combine.
• Place the egg yolks in a medium bowl and, beating continuously with an electric mixer, add the coffee syrup.
• While continuing to beat, add the butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, until it is all amalgamated.
• Taste, and add more coffee essence if desired.
• Cool the butter cream in the refrigerator until it reaches spreading consistency.
• To assemble the torte, place one meringue layer on a serving platter and spread with some butter cream.
• Place second meringue on top, spread with butter cream, and repeat with the third meringue.
• Cover the top of torte, and the side, with remaining butter cream.
• Sprinkle toasted almond flakes all over, to decorate, then place in refrigerator until 10 to 15 minutes before serving time, preferably overnight.
• Dust top with powdered sugar to serve.