Caramel Coffee Meringues Food

CARAMEL COFFEE MERINGUES

Steps:

• Make meringues:
• Put oven rack in lower third of oven and preheat oven to 500°F. Lightly oil ramekins.
• Stir together 1 cup sugar and 2 tablespoons espresso powder in a small bowl. Beat whites with a pinch of salt in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until they just hold soft peaks. Add sugar mixture a little at a time, beating, then increase speed to high and continue to beat until whites hold stiff, glossy peaks.
• Spoon meringue into ramekins, forming gentle swirling peaks in tops. Arrange ramekins on a baking sheet and bake until meringues are slightly puffed and a shade darker, 4 to 5 minutes (meringues will still be very soft). Transfer ramekins to a rack and cool 30 minutes, then chill at least 3 hours. (Meringues will deflate slightly and pull away from sides of ramekins.)
• Make syrup:
• Stir together 1/4 cup water and remaining tablespoon espresso powder in a small glass.
• Bring remaining 1/2 cup sugar and remaining 1/4 cup water to a boil in a 1- to 1 1/2-quart heavy saucepan, stirring until sugar is dissolved and washing down any crystals from side of pan with a pastry brush dipped in water. Boil syrup, without stirring, gently swirling pan, until mixture is a deep golden caramel. Remove from heat and carefully pour in espresso mixture (liquid will bubble and steam), then stir until well combined (if necessary, stir over low heat until caramel is dissolved). Transfer syrup to a heatproof bowl and cool to room temperature, about 20 minutes.
• Make topping and serve meringues:
• Just before serving, beat cream with cleaned beaters until it just holds soft peaks. Drizzle each meringue with 1 tablespoon syrup and top generously with whipped cream.
• *Available at specialty foods shops, some supermarkets, and The Baker's Catalogue (800-827-6836; bakerscatalogue.com).
• **Available at some cookware shops and Bridge Kitchenware (800-274-3435 or 212-688-4220).

COFFEE MERINGUES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 225 degrees F.
• Grease 2 or 3 cookie sheets or use parchment paper lined sheets.
• Beat egg whites and cream of tartar in medium bowl on medium speed until soft peaks form.
• Add granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, until stiff peaks form and sugar is dissolved.
• Fold in confectioners' sugar.
• Stir coffee granules into warm water in small bowl until dissolved.
• Fold into meringue.
• Spoon meringue into piping bag fitted with 1 1/2 inch nozzle.
• Pipe mounds onto cookie sheet, each about 1/2 inch high, 1 inch in diameter and about 2 inches apart onto prepared cookie sheets.
• Bake on lowest rack in oven for 35-40 minutes until dry.
• Turn oven off and let meringues stand in unopened oven until cool.
• Heat chocolate in medium saucepan on lowest heat, stirring often until melted; do hot overheat.
• Removed from heat.
• Stir until smooth.
• Dip bottoms of each meringue into chocolate (or 1 side of each meringue), allowing excess to drip back into saucepan.
• Place on foil or waxed paper-lined cookie sheets.
• Let stand in cool place until chocolate is set.
• Do not chill.
• Store in airtight containers.

COFFEE CREAM CARAMEL

Steps:

• Making the caramel:
• - In a small saucepan, add sugar and water.
• - Let it come to a boil on medium heat.
• - Do not stir the mixture. Just swirl the saucepan to caramelize the sugar evenly.
• - When golden or light brown, pour the caramel into the ramekins.
• - Let it cool completely before pouring the cream mixture on top of it.
• - Place the ramekins in a baking dish.
• In a saucepan, heat the evaporated milk.
• In a bowl, whisk the eggs with vanilla, coffee, and sugar until creamy and lighter in color.
• While whisking, gradually add the hot milk. Run the mixture through a sieve.
• Pour the cream mixture over the caramel.
• Pour hot water in the baking dish, covering bottom half of the ramekins.
• Bake in a preheated oven at 350F/180C for 40 minutes.
• Let the cream caramel cool for 2 minutes. Run a half-inserted knife along the edges of the ramekin. Shake the ramekin lightly then flip it on a serving plate.
• Let it cool and then chill for an hour before serving.

CARAMEL MERINGUES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 120C/fan 100C/gas 1/2
• Place the egg whites into a clean and grease free bowl and whisk until soft peaks form.
• Gradually ad the sugar, one spoonful at a time. Whisk until you have a thick and glossy mixture.
• Spoon the mixture into 4 equal mounds on top of a baking tray lined with baking paper, swirling with the end of the spoon, then make a dip in the middle of each one.
• Bake in the oven for 2 hours, then leave to cool before peeling back the paper.
• Serve each meringue with lightly whipped cream and seasonal fruit.

CARAMEL CRUNCH CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350F.
• Mix cake flour and sugar together; add egg yolks, water, lemon juice and vanilla and beat until smooth.
• In a large bowl beat egg whites, cream of tartar and salt until a fine foam forms through.
• Gradually add sugar and continue beating until meringue is firm and stands in peaks.
• Fold batter gently into meringue until just blended; do not stir.
• Gently spoon batter into ungreased tube pan.
• Cut through batter with a knife to break up bubbles and level mixture.
• Bake in preheated oven for 50-55 minutes or until top springs back when touched.
• Remove from oven; immediately turn over and place tube over neck of funnel or bottle to cool.
• Let stand until cool, then loosen with spatula and place on plate.
• Split cake into four layers.
• While cake is baking, combine sugar, coffee and syrup in a deep saucepan; stir and bring to a boil and cook until hard crack stage or 310 degrees on a candy thermometer.
• Remove from heat and immediately add soda and stir vigorously just until topping thickens and pulls away from sides of pan.
• Immediately pour into ungreased shallow metal pan.
• Do not stir or spread; let cool without moving.
• Knock out of pan and crush into coarse crumbs between sheets of waxed paper with rolling pin.
• Whip cream, sugar and vanilla until stiff.
• Spread half of cream between layers and remainder on top and sides.
• Refrigerate until ready to serve.
• Just before serving, cover cake with crushed caramel candy.