Frozen Strawberry Lemon Meringue Torte Food

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 LEMON MERINGUE TORTE

Steps:

• Trace 4 (8 inch) circles on parchment paper, cut out and put on baking sheets. Meringue: Combine 3/4 c sugar, cornstarch and zest; set aside. In a bowl, beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in remaining 3/4 cup sugar until stiff peaks form. Add vanilla and fold in reserved sugar mixture. Spoon meringue on to circles, smoothing the tops. Bake at 300F for 1 hour or until golden> Let cool. Lemon Filling: In a saucepan over med/high, heat 1 1/4 c sugar, butter, lemon zest and juice, stirring until sugar dissolves. In a bowl, beat eggs; whisk in lemon mixture and return to saucepan. Cook, stirring, just until boiling; simmer for 1 minute. Pour into bow. Place plastic wrap directly on surface; cool in refrigerator to room temperature. (can be refrigerated for up to 1 day). Whip cream and fold into lemon mixture. Assembly: Crumble least-attractive meringue for garnish; set aside. Fit 1 meringue into 9-inch springform pan. Pour a third of lemon filling over top. Repeat layers twice. Sprinkle crumbled meringue over top. Freeze for at least 8 hours. Can be frozen for up to 1 week well wrapped. Let soften in refrigerator for 45 min before serving.

FROZEN STRAWBERRY LEMON MERINGUE TORTE

Steps:

• Make the meringue layers:
• Line 2 buttered baking sheets with parchment paper or foil and on them trace 3 circles using the bottom of an 8 1/2-inch springform pan as a guide. In a large bowl with an electric mixer beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt until they hold soft peaks, add the sugar gradually, beating, and beat the whites until they hold stiff glossy peaks. Transfer the meringue to a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch plain tip, beginning in the middle of each parchment circle pipe the meringue in a tight spiral to fill in each circle, and smooth the tops. Bake the meringues on 2 racks in a preheated 250°F. oven, switching the baking sheets from one rack to the other every 30 minutes, for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, or until they are firm when touched and very pale golden. Remove the parchment with the meringue from the baking sheets, let the meringue cool on it, and peel off the parchment carefully. The meringue layers may be made 1 day in advance and kept, wrapped well in plastic wrap, at room temperature. With a serrated knife trim the meringue layers so that they will just fit inside the 3 1/2-inch springform pan.
• Oil the pan, line it with plastic wrap, leaving on overhang, and arrange 1 of the meringue layers, smooth side down, in the bottom.
• Make the lemon filling
• In heavy saucepan sprinkle the gelatin over the water, let it soften for 1 minute, and heat the mixture over low heat, stirring, until the gelatin is dissolved. Whisk in the lemon juice, the sugar, the egg yolks, and zest and cook the mixture over moderately low heat, whisking constantly, until it registers 170°F. on a candy thermometer. Transfer the mixture to a metal bowl set in a larger bowl of ice and cold water and stir it occasionally until it is very thick but not set. In a bowl beat the cream until it holds soft peaks and fold it into the lemon mixture.
• Pour the lemon filling over the meringue layer in the springform pan, top it with 1 of the remaining meringue layers, and freeze the torte for 1 hour, or until the lemon filling is firm.
• Make the strawberry filling:
• In a heavy saucepan sprinkle the gelatin over the water, let it soften for 1 minute, and heat the mixture over low heat, stirring, until the gelatin is dissolved. In a food processor or blender purée the strawberries with the preserves and the sugar, whisk the purée and the egg yolks into the gelatin mixture, and cook the mixture over moderately low heat, whisking constantly, until it registers 170°F. on a candy thermometer. Transfer the mixture to a metal bowl set in a larger bowl of ice and cold water and stir it occasionally until it is very thick but not set. In a bowl beat the cream until it holds soft peaks and fold it into the strawberry mixture.
• Pour the strawberry filling over the meringue layer in the springform pan, top it with the remaining meringue layer, smooth side up, and fold the plastic wrap overhang over the top. Freeze the torte for 2 hours, or until it is frozen. The torte may be prepared up to this point 2 days in advance and dept wrapped well and frozen.
• Make the frosting:
• In a small saucepan sprinkle the gelatin over the water, let it soften for 1 minute, and heat the mixture over low heat, stirring, until the gelatin is dissolved. In a bowl beat the heavy cram and the sour cream with the confectioners' sugar until the mixture just holds stiff peaks, add the gelatin mixture in a stream, beating, and beat the frosting until it holds stiff peaks.
• Remove the side of the pan and transfer the torte to a serving plate, discarding the plastic wrap. Spread a thin layer of the frosting on the top and side of the torte and freeze the torte for 10 minutes, or until the frosting is firm. Transfer the remaining frosting to a pastry bag fitted with a decorative tip (such as a basket-weave tip), pipe it over the torte, and freeze the torte for at least 30 minutes and up to 4 hours. Let the torte stand in the refrigerator for 30 minutes before serving and garnish it with the strawberries.