Owner Beth Grubert,
Baked Expectations
Light-as-air, melt-in-your mouth meringue, frothy cocoa cream and tangy raspberries
conspire to make this cover star shine.
Ingredients
Meringue Base
2 cups egg whites (can use carton, such as Naturegg)
2 1/2 cups granulated sugar
pinch cream of tartar
1/2 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
Cocoa Cream
8 cups whipping cream
1 cup icing sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
Garnish
4 cups raspberries
1 to 2 oz semisweet chocolate, melted
Method
Meringue Base
1. Preheat oven to 300˚F.
2. In a stand mixer fit with a whisk attachment, beat egg whites and sugar.
3. Place bowl of mixer on top of a double boiler over high heat. Stir whites constantly until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is hot. Make sure not to scramble eggs.
4. Return bowl to mixer. Add pinch of cream of tartar. Whisk on high until medium peaks form, about 4-5 mins.
5. Remove whites from mixer and gently fold in cocoa by hand.
6. Line 3 cookie sheets with parchment. Trace a 9″ circle on each sheet of parchment to use as a template.
7. By hand, form round circles of meringue about 1″ high on each tray, using the circles as a guide.
8. Bake meringue for 90 mins. Turn off oven, open door. Let meringue cool.
Cocoa Cream
1. Using an electric mixer, whip cream, icing sugar and cocoa together until light and fluffy.
Assembly
1. Remove meringue layers from parchment
2. Place first meringue on cake plate, flatter side up.
3. Generously spread cocoa cream on first layer. Sprinkle raspberries over layer.
3. Repeat step 2, finishing with top layer domed side up.
4. Decorate with remaining raspberries. Drizzle with melted semisweet chocolate.
Yields 10-12 servings