Meringue Topped Brownie Cake Food

CHOCOLATE AND HAZELNUT MERINGUE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-by-3-inch springform pan. Line bottom with parchment. Butter parchment, and sprinkle with flour; tap out excess. Set aside.
• Spread hazelnuts in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Toast until fragrant and skins start to crack, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from oven; rub vigorously with a clean kitchen towel to take off skins. Let cool; roughly chop. Set aside.
• Make cake batter: In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and brown sugar until pale and smooth. Add egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition, until mixture is light and fluffy. Add melted chocolate, vanilla, and rum, if using; beat until combined. Set aside.
• In a clean mixer bowl, combine 6 egg whites and salt; using the whisk attachment, beat on high speed until soft peaks form, about 2 minutes. Stir one-third of the egg whites into chocolate mixture. Fold in remaining beaten egg whites just until combined. Pour batter into prepared pan, and bake 25 minutes.
• Meanwhile, make meringue: Combine hazelnuts, chopped chocolate, and cornstarch in a small bowl, and set aside. Place remaining 4 egg whites and cream of tartar in a clean mixer bowl; using a clean whisk attachment, beat on high speed until frothy. With mixer running, slowly add superfine sugar; continue beating until stiff peaks form, about 8 minutes. Fold in hazelnut mixture.
• Remove cake from oven. Using an offset spatula, spread meringue mixture on top of cake, and return to oven. Bake until meringue is lightly browned and crisp, 25 to 30 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack; let stand 10 minutes. Run a knife around the edge of the cake to loosen, and release sides of pan. Let cool, about 30 minutes, before slicing and serving.

PEPPERMINT-MERINGUE BROWNIE CAKE

Steps:

• Make cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly coat a 9-inch springform pan with cooking spray. Place butter and chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl set over (not in) a saucepan of simmering water; stir frequently until almost melted.
• Remove bowl from heat and stir until completely melted. Whisk in granulated sugar and salt, then eggs. Gently whisk in flour until smooth (do not overmix). Spread batter in pan and bake 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, make meringue: Combine chocolate and cornstarch. In a large bowl, using a mixer, whisk egg whites and pinch of cream of tartar on high until frothy. With mixer running, slowly add superfine sugar and continue whisking on high until stiff, glossy peaks form, about 6 minutes. Fold in chocolate mixture and peppermint extract.
• Spread meringue on top of cake with an offset spatula. Bake until meringue is lightly browned and cracked on top, 25 to 27 minutes more. Let cool in pan on a wire rack, 10 minutes. Run a knife around edge and remove ring. Let cool completely.

CRISPY BAKED MERINGUES

Steps:

• Whip the egg whites and salt into peaks.
• Add the vanilla, and continue beating until the mixture forms stiff peaks.
• In a separate bowl, stir the cream of tartar into the regular sugar and whisk into the whites very gradually, a spoonful at a time, until the meringue is stiff and the sugar has dissolved.
• Sift together the icing sugar and cornstarch. Sift over the meringue and gently fold until fully incorporated.
• Pipe or spoon the meringues onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Each meringue should be about the size of a bar of soap.
• Bake at 225ºF/110ºC until cream-coloured and crisp on top when tapped, 1 to 1-1/2 hours.
• Remove from the oven. Cool on the trays. Store in an air-tight container.

BERRY BROWNIE PAVLOVA CAKE

Steps:

• Melt the chocolate in a bowl over a pan of gently simmering water, ensuring the bowl doesn't touch the water, or in short bursts in the microwave, then set aside to cool a little. Butter two 20cm loose- bottomed deep cake tins and line the base and sides with baking parchment. Heat the oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3.
• Put all the brownie ingredients, including the melted chocolate, in a bowl, then beat with an electric whisk until well mixed. Divide between the cake tins and level the tops using the back of a spoon or a palette knife.
• Work quickly to make the meringue, ensuring your whisks and bowl are entirely clean and grease-free (or the egg whites won't whip up to their full volume). Put the egg whites in the bowl and whisk for a couple of minutes until stiff. Add the sugar, a spoonful at a time, whisking continuously to stiff peaks, then whisk in the cornflour. Use a spoon to dot the meringue all over the top of one of the cakes, then using the back of the spoon, spread it to the edge of the tin, being careful not to disturb the cake mixture underneath. Make nice swirly dips and peaks as you spread.
• Bake both cakes for 45 mins, then remove the cake without the meringue topping and quickly close the oven door. Cook the meringue-topped cake for a further 30 mins, then remove from the oven and leave both cakes to cool completely in their tins.
• Slice any strawberries (if using), keeping a few with stalks on for the top of the cake. Whisk the cream and icing sugar to soft peaks. Remove the brownie base cake from its tin and peel off the baking parchment. Place it on a plate or cake stand. Use a spoon to swirl a little over half of the cream over the cake and top with half of the berries. Carefully remove the meringue-topped cake from the tin and remove the parchment. Place it on top of the cream and berries, and spoon dollops of the remaining cream on top, filling any cracks or dips in the meringue. Top with the remaining fruit and some chocolate shavings, if you like, and serve within an hour. Leftovers will keep in the fridge for two days.

MERINGUE TOPPING

Steps:

• preheat the oven to 325* --
• in a large mixer bowl -- beat the egg whites, salt and cream of tartar until soft peaks form.
• gradually add the sugar a tablespoon at a time and continue beating until soft peaks form --
• just before beating is completed sprinkle in the cornstarch --
• the peaks should not topple over when the beater is raised -- but the meringue should not appear dry.
• spread the meringue on lukewarm filling in the pie shell(this helps keep it from shrinking away from the filling as it cools.).
• clear over the edge of the crust.
• swoop the meringue into attractive peaks.
• bake for 15-18 minutes or until the peaks are golden brown.
• cool the pie gradually.there should be no warmth at all left in the meringue, then refrigerate.