Meringue Cake - Almond w/Ice Cream
cooksillustrated
ALMOND MERINGUE CAKE WITH STRAWBERRY AND VANILLA ICE CREAM
Serves 8 to 10. Published May 1, 1995.
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:
For our meringue recipe, we wanted meringues with just the right amount of sweetness. So we added just enough sugar to ensure that the meringue hardened properly but not so much that it was cloying. We added the sugar to the meringue in three stages to produce maximum volume and optimum texture and piped or shaped the meringue immediately after it was made.
If you have any meringue left after piping the two disks, make a few dessert shells. To soften the ice cream, place it in the refrigerator about thirty minutes before needed. And remember, not all of the ice cream is needed at the same time. If you need ice cream softened in a hurry, you can also microwave it on the defrost setting, checking it every thirty seconds at first, and then every fifteen seconds as it reaches the softened state.
Ingredients
- INGREDIENTS
- 4 tablespoons granulated sugar plus 1/3 cup
- 2/3 cup confectioners' sugar
- 1/2 cup large egg whites from about 4 eggs, at room temperature
- 1/3 cup chopped almonds
- 1 quart strawberry ice cream , softened slightly
- 1 quart vanilla ice cream , softened slightly
- 1 1/2 cups sliced almonds , toasted
- Fresh strawberries for garnish
Preparation
Step 1
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Adjust oven rack to lower middle position and preheat oven to 225 degrees.
2. Sift 2 tablespoons granulated sugar with confectioners’ sugar; set aside.
3. Place egg whites in large bowl of electric mixer. Using whisk attachment, whip them on low speed just until frothy. Increase speed to medium, sprinkle in 2 tablespoons reserved granulated sugar, and continue whipping to soft peaks. Gradually add 1/3 cup reserved granulated sugar; continue whipping to stiff, glossy peaks. Stop mixer; rub some meringue between your fingers. If smooth, proceed to next step. If still grainy, continue beating until smooth.
4. Sprinkle sifted powdered-sugar mixture and almonds over meringue; fold in with rubber spatula until just incorporated.
5.Following illustrations below, use a compass or large bowl or glass to trace an 8-inch and a 6 1/2-inch circle on parchment paper. Lightly spray each circle with cooking spray to ensure easy removal of meringues. Fit large pastry bag with 1/2-inch plain decorating tip. Fill piping bag with meringue. Lay parchment on baking sheet and pipe out a small quantity to tack down corners of parchment paper while you work. Beginning in the center of the traced circle, pipe meringue in a continuous, widening spiral until it reaches the edge of the circle. Hold the pastry bag perpendicular to the baking sheet, 1 1/2 to 2 inches from the area you are piping, applying continuous pressure as you pipe. Pipe a couple of 1 1/2-inch disks with any excess meringue, (these will be used to test for doneness).
6. Bake meringues, switching positions of baking sheets after 30 minutes, until one of test samples releases easily from paper and snaps crisply after 5 minutes of cooling, 60 to 80 minutes. Once sample is crisp when tested, remove baking sheets from oven and place on cooling racks until meringues are room temperature, about 30 minutes. Carefully remove cooled meringues from paper. Place larger disk on 9-inch round piece of cardboard or removable tart-pan bottom. Place smaller disk on similar surface. Freeze both disks for 30 minutes. (Can also be stored in an airtight container up to 2 weeks) ; upon removal, freeze the disks before adding topping.)
7. Following illustrations 4 - 8, spread 2 cups of strawberry ice cream over each frozen disk with a flexible metal spatula. Return the disk to the freezer for 30 minutes or until the ice cream is firm. Spread 1 cup vanilla ice cream over the strawberry ice cream on the large disk. Return the disk to the freezer until the ice cream is firm. Carefully slide the smaller meringue disk, ice cream side up, on top of the ice cream layers on the large disk. Spread the remaining vanilla ice cream over the top and sides of the cake. Move the spatula from the bottom upward to contour the top and create a dome shape. Return the dessert to the freezer until the ice cream is firm. Hold the cake in one hand directly over a baking sheet containing the nuts. Use the other hand to gently press the sliced almonods into the ice cream. The nuts can be secured by pressing them gently into the ice cream with a flexible metal spatula. Return cake to freezer for at least four hours or up to 1 day.
8. Fifteen minutes before serving, transfer cake to serving platter and garnish with strawberries. Use knife to cut cake into wedges and serve immediately.
STEP-BY-STEP
For Large Meringue Disks and Cake
1. Use a compass to trace circles on parchment paper. If a compass is unavailable, use household items like lids or ramekins as guides to trace around.
2. Before forming the meringue shapes, pipe out or spoon a small quantity (about 1/2 teaspoon) of meringue into each corner of the parchment paper to keep it in place as you work.
3. Beginning in the center of the traced circle, pipe meringue in a continuous, widening spiral until it reaches the edge of the circle. Hold the pastry bag perpendicular to the baking sheet, 1 1/2 to 2 inches from the area you are piping. Apply continuous pressure as you pipe.
4. Spread 2 cups of strawberry ice cream over each frozen disk with a flexible metal spatula. Return the disk to the freezer for 30 minutes or until the ice cream is firm.
5. Spread 1 cup of vanilla ice cream over the strawberry ice cream on the large disk. Return the disk to the freezer until the ice cream is firm.
6. When the ice cream on the large disks is frozen, carefully slide the smaller meringue disk, ice-cream side up, on top of the ice-cream layers on the large disk.
7. Spread the remaining vanilla ice cream over the top and sides of the cake. Move the spatula from the bottom upward to contour the top and create the dome shape. Return the dessert to the freezer until the ice cream is firm.
8. Hold the cake in one hand directly over a baking pan containing the nuts. Use the other hand to gently press the nuts into the ice cream. The nuts can be secured by pressing them gently into the ice cream with a flexible metal spatula.