Frozen Meringue Cake With Seasonal Berries Food

FROZEN MERINGUE CAKE

Steps:

• For the meringue: Place an oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 200 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Using a pencil, trace two 8-inch-diameter circles, side-by-side, on the parchment paper.
• Beat the egg whites until fluffy in a stand mixer with a whisk attachment. Gradually add the superfine sugar, about 1 tablespoon at a time, with the machine running on medium-low speed, until the mixture holds soft peaks. Beat in the cream of tartar and salt. Increase the speed to high and beat until the mixture is thick and holds stiff peaks, 3 to 5 minutes. Beat in the vanilla extract. Place the meringue in the piping bag. Pipe the meringue into two 8-inch circles on the prepared baking sheet using the traced circles as a guide. Bake until crisp, 2 hours. Turn off the oven and allow the meringues to cool completely while still in the oven, about 2 hours.
• For the cream: Beat the cream on high speed until thick using an electric hand mixer. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla extract. Continue to beat on high speed until the cream holds stiff peaks. Add the raspberries and beat until incorporated into the cream.
• Spread one-third of the cream over each meringue circle. Place 1 circle on top of the other to create 2 layers. Spread the remaining cream on the sides of the cake. Garnish with fresh raspberries if using, and freeze the cake until firm, 3 hours.
• For the syrup: Mix the raspberries, vinegar and maple syrup in a small saucepan. Lightly mash the raspberries using a fork. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until thick, 25 to 30 minutes. Strain the mixture through a fine sieve and allow to cool.
• To serve: Allow the cake to sit at room temperature for 15 minutes. Cut the cake into wedges and place on serving plates. Drizzle with the syrup and serve.

FROZEN MERINGUE CAKE WITH SEASONAL BERRIES

Steps:

• Make meringues
• Preheat oven to 200°F. Line 2 large baking sheets with aluminum foil; butter and flour foil.
• In large bowl using electric mixer, beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Gradually add sugar, beating until stiff and glossy. Drop 8 (approximately 1/3-cup) mounds of meringue about 1 inch apart onto baking sheets and use spoon to make indentations in centers of mounds.
• Bake in upper and lower thirds of oven until crisp but still white, about 45 minutes. Turn oven off and cool meringues in oven 1 hour. Using metal spatula, transfer meringues to rack to cool completely. (Meringue shells can be made up to 5 days ahead and kept in airtight container at room temperature.)
• Make cream and assemble dessert
• Lightly oil 7-inch diameter soufflé dish or ramekin (6 cup capacity).
• In large bowl using electric mixer, beat cream until soft peaks form. Fold in confectioners' sugar and vanilla. Chop meringue shells into 1-inch pieces and fold into cream. Transfer mixture to soufflé dish and cover with plastic wrap. Freeze until firm, approximately 8 hours. (Can be made 3 days ahead. Cover; keep frozen.)
• To un-mold dessert, fill large bowl 1/3 full of hot water. Run small knife around inside edge of soufflé dish to loosen. Dip dish into bowl of hot water for 2 seconds, being careful not to splash water onto cream. Carefully invert onto serving plate. Arrange berries on top of and around frozen cream and garnish with additional whipped cream.

PRALINE MERINGUE CAKE WITH STRAWBERRIES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 140C/fan 120C/gas 1, and line two flat baking sheets with baking parchment. Whizz about two-thirds of the toasted almonds in a food processor until chopped. Don't let them start to look greasy or clump together - they should still be in pieces rather than ground. Roughly chop the remaining third with a knife.
• Stir the sugars together. Using an electric hand whisk, beat the egg whites in a large bowl until stiff, then add the sugar in three batches, beating the mixture back to stiff after each addition. Add the cornflour and vinegar, and keep going until the meringue mixture is glossy and so stiff that the beaters begin to feel heavy when stirring - this can take up to 5 mins.
• Quickly fold in all of the finely chopped nuts and most of the roughly chopped with a spatula, then divide the mixture between the two baking sheets. Spread both into 20cm circles, then scatter the remaining chopped nuts over. Bake for 1 hr, then turn the oven off and leave the meringues inside to cool for at least 1 hr. Leave the oven door closed (this will help to prevent them cracking). Will keep overnight in an airtight container, or freeze, wrapped in cling film, for up to 1 month.
• For the strawberry sauce, purée 600g of the strawberries in a food processor or blender. Press through a sieve to remove the seeds, then sweeten with 2 tbsp of the icing sugar. Can be made up to 1 day ahead. Sieve the remaining icing sugar into the double cream, whip until it just holds its shape, then carefully swirl through two-thirds of the sauce.
• To serve, slide one of the meringues off its baking parchment onto a serving plate, then spread over half the cream. Place the second meringue on top, pile over the rest of the cream and top with the remaining strawberries. Dust with a little more icing sugar if you like, and serve the leftover strawberry sauce alongside.

FROZEN STRAWBERRY MERINGUE

Steps:

• Separate crushed strawberries in half.
• Set aside 1 cup for the meringue and sweeten the other cup to taste with the honey or powdered sugar.
• Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
• Beat the egg whites until they hold soft peaks.
• Add the sugar 1 tbsp at a time until the meringue is thick and glossy.
• Add the reserved cup of strawberries and beat just to blend.
• Transfer the meringue to a covered freezer container.
• Freeze for at least 1 hour (can be stored for 1 month in freezer).
• To serve, spoon crushed, sweetened berries into 4 brandy glasses or bowls.
• Top with the meringue.
• Garnish with mint and sliced berries if desired.

FROZEN PASSION FRUIT MERINGUE CAKE

Steps:

• Make meringue layers:
• Preheat oven to 275°F.
• Draw 3 (14- by 3-inch) rectangles, about 3/4 inch apart, on parchment. Turn paper over (rectangles will be visible) and put it on a lightly buttered large baking sheet.
• Beat whites with a pinch of salt in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until they hold soft peaks. Beat in sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, then increase speed to high and continue beating until whites hold stiff glossy peaks, about 4 minutes with a standing mixer or 8 to 10 minutes with a handheld. Transfer meringue to pastry bag fitted with 1/3-inch tip and fill in rectangles completely. Gently smooth tops, then bake in middle of oven until firm and very pale golden, 45 to 60 minutes. Slide meringue layers (on parchment) onto a large rack. Cool completely, then carefully peel off parchment.
• Make mousse while meringues bake:
• Melt butter with cornstarch, passion-fruit pulp, and 3/4 cup sugar in a 2-quart heavy saucepan over moderately low heat, stirring until sugar is dissolved.
• Whisk together whole egg and yolks in a large bowl until combined, then add butter mixture in a stream, whisking. Transfer mixture to saucepan and cook over moderately low heat, whisking constantly, until thick enough to hold mark of whisk and first bubble appears on surface, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer curd immediately to a metal bowl set in a larger bowl of ice and cold water and cool, stirring occasionally, until cold.
• Beat cream with remaining 2 tablespoons sugar with electric mixer until it just holds stiff peaks. Fold 2 cups whipped cream into curd gently but thoroughly to form a mousse (for filling and icing).
• Transfer 3/4 cup whipped cream to a small bowl and reserve, chilled, for cream layer. Fold 1/2 cup mousse into remaining whipped cream, then transfer to cleaned pastry bag fitted with 1/8-inch tip and reserve, chilled, for decorative icing.
• Assemble cake and freeze:
• Arrange 1 meringue layer, flat side down, on platter and spread evenly with 3/4 cup mousse. Cover with another meringue layer and spread evenly with reserved whipped cream. Cover with remaining meringue layer, flat side up, and spread remaining mousse evenly over top and sides of cake, smoothing with a cake spatula. Pipe icing decoratively on top of cake, then freeze, uncovered, until firm, at least 3 hours.
• About 1 hour before serving, put cake in refrigerator to soften slightly.

RASPBERRY MERINGUE ICE-CREAM CAKE

Steps:

• Reserve 1 tbsp sugar. Mix together the custard, creme fraiche, remaining sugar and vanilla in a large bowl. Put the bowl in the freezer, then leave for 1 hr until the mixture starts to freeze around the edges. Whisk the mixture to break down the ice crystals, return to the freezer for 1 hr or more, then repeat the whisking.
• Meanwhile, cut a large food bag down one side and along the base and open out. Lightly oil a large loaf tin, ice-cream tub or food container, approximately 2 litres in capacity. Line with the plastic. Using a fork, lightly crush half the raspberries with the reserved sugar.
• Spoon one-third of the semi-frozen custard into the tin. Sprinkle over half the meringues and half the crushed raspberries. Spoon over 3 tbsp coulis. Cover with another third of the custard and then the remaining meringues, raspberries and another 3 tbsp coulis. Pour over the remaining custard, then put in the freezer for at least 4 hrs, or overnight. Can be frozen for up to 2 weeks.
• To serve, transfer the dessert to the fridge for 30-45 mins to soften it. When ready to eat, turn the cake out onto a dish, Scatter the raspberries over, then cut into thick slices and serve with a little coulis.

FROZEN LEMON MERINGUE CAKE

Steps:

• Make meringue layers:
• Put oven racks in upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat oven to 200°F.
• Using the bottom of the springform pan as a guide, draw 2 (8-inch) circles on one sheet of parchment and a third (8-inch) circle on the second sheet of parchment. Turn paper over (circles will be visible).
• Beat whites with cream of tartar and salt in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until they hold soft peaks. Beat in sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, then increase speed to high and continue beating until whites hold stiff, glossy peaks, about 4 minutes in a stand mixer or 8 to 10 minutes with a handheld. Divide meringue mixture among 3 circles, spread evenly within lines, and gently smooth tops. Bake until firm and very pale golden, about 2 hours, then let stand in turned-off oven (door closed) until firm, about 1 hour. While meringues bake, put ice cream in refrigerator to soften.
• Slide parchment sheets with meringue layers onto racks to cool completely. Carefully lift meringue and peel off parchment.
• Make curd while meringues bake:
• Whisk together lemon juice, zest, sugar, yolks, whole eggs, and salt in a 2-quart heavy saucepan. Stir in butter and cook over moderately low heat, whisking frequently, until mixture is thickened and just reaches a boil, about 6 minutes. Transfer lemon curd to a bowl and chill, its surface covered with plastic wrap, until cold, at least 1 hour.
• Assemble cake:
• Line springform pan with 2 crisscrossed sheets of plastic wrap. Arrange 1 meringue layer (trimming if necessary) flat side down in springform pan and spread 1 cup ice cream over it, then evenly spread half of lemon curd over ice cream. Cover curd with another meringue layer, then spread remaining cup ice cream over meringue. Spread remaining curd on top, then cover curd with remaining meringue layer, flat side down. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze until firm, at least 4 hours.
• About 1 hour before serving, put cake in refrigerator to soften slightly. Remove side of pan and transfer cake to platter, then cut into wedges with a long serrated knife.

LEMON MERINGUE ICE CREAM CAKE

Steps:

• Line the base of a 20cm round springform cake tin with greaseproof paper. Cut the Madeira cake into 1cm slices and use to line the base of the tin. Fill in the gaps between the slices with small pieces of cake.
• Break the meringues into pieces and put into a large bowl. Tip in all the crème fraîche and fold together. Dollop large spoonfuls of the meringue mixture and lemon curd into the tin. Don't stir. Spread level with a palette knife, then tap the tin on the counter surface to make sure the mixture is packed down. Freeze for at least 4 hours.
• When ready to serve, remove the cake from the tin and put on a serving plate. Decorate with red summer berries.