Vanilla Praline Meringue Cups With Blackberry Raspberry Sauce Food

WHITE CHOCOLATE PRALINE ICE CREAM TERRINE WITH BLACKBERRY-RASPBERRY SAUCE

Steps:

• For praline:
• Line rimmed baking sheet with foil. Stir sugar, 1/2 cup water, and cream of tartar in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat and boil without stirring until syrup is pale amber color, occasionally brushing down sides of pan with wet pastry brush and swirling pan, about 5 minutes. Add nuts; stir with wooden spoon until coated with syrup. Continue to cook until syrup is deep amber color, gently pushing nuts into syrup, about 3 minutes longer. Immediately scrape mixture out onto prepared baking sheet, spreading as thinly as possible with metal spatula. Let praline stand until cool and firm, about 1 hour. Break praline into irregular pieces. Set aside a few pieces for garnish. Coarsely chop remaining praline. (Can be made 3 days ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.)
• For terrine:
• Whisk yolks in bowl to blend. Bring cream, milk, and sugar to simmer in heavy medium saucepan, stirring until sugar dissolves. Gradually whisk cream mixture into yolks; return to saucepan and stir constantly until mixture thickens slightly and instant-read thermometer inserted into mixture registers 170°F, about 3 minutes (do not boil). Transfer custard to 4-cup measuring cup; cool slightly.
• Place white chocolate in medium metal bowl. Set bowl over saucepan of barely simmering water; stir just until chocolate is melted and smooth. Remove bowl from over water. Gradually whisk warm custard into melted chocolate. Mix in vanilla. Cover and chill custard at least 4 hours and up to 1 day.
• Process custard in ice cream maker. Transfer ice cream to container; cover and freeze at least 6 hours or overnight.
• Line 9x5x3-inch loaf pan with double layer of plastic wrap, leaving 4-inch overhang. Spread 1/3 of ice cream over bottom of prepared loaf pan; sprinkle with half of chopped praline. Spread half of remaining ice cream over; sprinkle with remaining chopped praline. Spread remaining ice cream over. Fold plastic wrap over to cover. Freeze overnight. (Can be made 3 days ahead. Keep frozen.)
• Invert terrine onto platter; remove plastic wrap. Serve terrine with sauce and garnish with reserved praline pieces.

RASPBERRY MERINGUES

Steps:

• Place egg whites in a large bowl; let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. , Beat eggs whites until soft peaks form. Gradually add gelatin, beating until combined. Gradually add sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until stiff peaks form. Beat in vinegar and salt. Fold in chocolate chips and nuts., Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake at 250° for 20-25 minutes or until firm to the touch. Turn oven off; leave cookies in the oven with door ajar for about 1-1/2 hours or until cool. , In a microwave, melt chocolate chips and shortening; stir until smooth. Drizzle over cookies.

VANILLA PRALINE MERINGUE CUPS WITH BLACKBERRY-RASPBERRY SAUCE

Steps:

• Make sauce:
• Puree berries with their juices and preserves in processor until well blended. Press through sieve to remove seeds. Refrigerate sauce. (Can be prepared 4 days ahead. Cover and keep refrigerated.)
• Make meringues:
• Position 1 rack in bottom third and 1 rack in center of oven and preheat to 225°F. Using bottom of 2/3-cup soufflé dish (measuring about 3 1/2 inches in diameter with 1 3/4-inch-high sides) as template, trace 3 circles on each of 2 large sheets of parchment paper, spacing 5 to 6 inches apart. Place parchment, marked side down, on baking sheets (circles will show through).
• Turn 1 souffleé dish upside down on work surface. Center 1 foil square on dish; press foil to cover outside of dish completely. Cut overhang to 3/4-inch width so that foil resemble to hat with brim. Repeat with 5 more foil squares and sides, making 6 foil hats total.
• Whisk sugar and cornstarch in small bowl to blend. Using electric mixer, beat whites and cream of tartar in large bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in sugar mixture. Beat until meringue is very thick and glossy, at least 5 minutes. Spoon meringue into pastry bag fitted with medium star tip (no.4). Pipe dot of meringue near corners of baking sheet; press corners of parchment to anchor.
• Staring in center of 1 marked circle on parchment, pipe meringue in concentric circles to fill marked circle completely. Repeat with remaining 5 marked circles, forming 6 meringue rounds total.
• Starting at base of foil hat, pipe meringue in columns up sides but not onto top of foil hat, each column touching the previous one so that sides are covered completely. Repeat with remaining meringue and foil hat. Slide spatula under each meringue cylinder with soufflé dish still inside; place on sheets between meringue rounds (there will be 3 meringue round and 3 meringue cylinders on each sheet).
• Bake meringues until firm and dry, about 2 hours. Turn off oven; let meringues stand in closed oven 1 hour. Transfer baking sheets to racks and cool meringues completely.
• Lift meringue rounds off parchment; place on work surface. Lift foil with meringue cylinders to detach foil. Place 1 cylinder over each meringue round, forming cup. Mix toffee bits and nuts in small bowl. Spoon 1/4 cup ice cream into each meringue cup. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon nut mixture. Top with 1/4 cup ice cream and 1 tablespoon nut mixture. Wrap filled meringues in plastic and freeze until firm, at least 4 hours. (Can be made 2 days ahead.)
• Spoon sauce onto plates. Unwrap meringues; place on plates. Serve with berries.

MERINGUES WITH CASSIS AND RASPBERRIES

Steps:

• Whip the cream in the bowl of an electric mixer fitter with the whisk attachment. When it starts to thicken, add the sugar, Cassis, and vanilla. Continue to whip until it forms soft peaks. Do not over beat.
• Spoon the cream onto the meringues and top with berries.

SOFT MERINGUE PILLOWS WITH RASPBERRY SAUCE

Steps:

• Make meringues: Line a plate with plastic wrap; set aside. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat egg whites and vanilla on medium-high speed until mixture forms soft peaks that fall back when lifted with beater. With mixer running, add 1/3 cup sugar, about 1 tablespoon at a time; continue to beat until mixture forms stiff peaks when lifted with beater. Using a rubber spatula, divide egg-white mixture into quarters in mixing bowl.
• Poach meringues: Fill a large skillet with 1 inch of water. Over high heat, bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low so water is steaming but not simmering. Dip a large slotted spoon in cool water, then scoop up 1/4 egg-white mixture, and with a rubber spatula, round top and slide meringue off spoon into skillet. Repeat with remaining meringues. Poach 4 minutes on one side. Flip over with slotted spoon, and poach meringues until firm to the touch, about 3 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer to prepared plate. Cover with another sheet of plastic, sealing around the edge of plate, and refrigerate at least 15 minutes and up to 1 day.
• Make sauce: Meanwhile, in a blender, combine raspberries and remaining 3 tablespoons sugar. Blend on high speed until smooth. Pour mixture through a fine-mesh sieve, pressing with rubber spatula; discard seeds. (If making ahead, cover and refrigerate up to 2 days.) To serve, divide sauce among 4 serving plates, top with a meringue, and sprinkle with almonds.

BLACKBERRY-RASPBERRY SAUCE

Steps:

• In a small saucepan bring sugar and water to a boil, stirring until sugar is dissolved, and in a blender pulse together with berries and lemon juice until berries are chopped.
• Cool sauce.
• Sauce may be made 2 days ahead and chilled, covered.
• Makes 2 cups.

FRESH RASPBERRY MERINGUES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 170°F, or the lowest setting on your oven that is closest to this temperature. Move your oven rack to the top third of the oven. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
• Combine raspberries and sugar in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir often, crushing berries with the back of a wooden spoon as they cook. As soon as the rasberry mixture becomes syrupy, remove the pan from the heat. Strain the berry mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a measuring cup, pressing down on the berries with a rubber spatula to extract all the juices. You should have about 1/2 cup of raspberry sauce. Discard the seeds and stir the vanilla extract into the sauce. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before proceeding.
• Place egg whites in a mixing bowl and sprinkle the cream of tartar over them. Use a mixer to beat the egg whites until they hold stiff peaks.
• Stir the cooled raspberry sauce, then gently fold 1/3 of the sauce into the beaten egg whites. Repeat two more times with the remaining 2/3 of the raspberry sauce.
• Spoon meringue into a gallon-size zip-top baggie, forcing the mixture to one corner of the bag. Snip about 1/4" from the corner of the bag so meringues can be piped onto the prepared pan. Pipe out 1 1/2 inch swirled circles onto baking sheet, making sure that the meringues don't touch. If you prefer, meringues can be gently scooped and dropped by rounded teaspoonfuls instead of piping.
• Bake for 2 hours at 170°F, rotating the baking sheet after 1 hour so they will dry evenly. When done, the meringues should not have any browning, and they should be dark pink in color.
• Turn off the oven and allow meringues to remain in the oven for at least two hours to finish drying, or you can leave them in the oven overnight.
• Meringues can be stored in an airtight container for 5 days, or they can be frozen for up to one month. If frozen, allow to thaw to room temp before serving.

MERINGUE CUPS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 200 degrees. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine whites, lemon juice, and vanilla. Beat on low speed, gradually increasing to high, until soft peaks form, about 1 1/2 minutes.
• Sprinkle sugar over the egg white mixture; beat on high speed until glossy peaks form, about 3 minutes. Sift cornstarch over mixture, and fold to combine.
• Using two soup spoons, drop balls of meringue onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Press down on center of each ball with one spoon to form a small cup.
• Bake 1 hour. Reduce oven temperature to 175 degrees; continue baking until outside is dry and crisp and inside is chewy, about 1 hour more. Remove from oven; let cool completely.