Almond Meringue With Summer Berries Recipes

ALMOND BERRY MERINGUE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line two 8" pans with parchment paper. Spray sides of pans with baking spray and flour (or use Baking PAM).
• In base of a stand mixer or in a large bowl using handheld mixer, beat together butter, sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy.
• Beat in two eggs and two egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition (put the 2 egg whites aside to use for meringue). Scrape down sides of bowl as needed.
• In a cup, stir together milk and almond extract.
• In a small bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.
• Alternate beating milk and flour mixtures into butter/egg mixture, starting and ending with milk mixture.
• Divide batter between the two prepared pans.
• In the base of a stand mixer or a in a large bowl, use mixer with whisk attachment to beat the two egg whites until stiff peaks form.
• Fold in sugar and brown sugar.
• Spread mixture evenly over one of the cake layers. Sprinkle almonds over top of meringue.
• Bake for 30 minutes, or until top of cake without meringue is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into center of cake comes out clean. Remove cake without meringue from oven. Continue cooking the cake with the meringue for an additional 20 minutes.
• Let cakes cool completely before removing from pans.
• Place a metal mixing bowl and the mixer's whisk attachment in freezer for at least 30 minutes.
• Place whipping cream in bowl and beat until stiff peaks begin to form. Beat in sugar and vanilla extract.
• Spread filling evenly over the cake without the meringue. Spread about 2/3 of the berries evenly over the filling.
• Place cake with meringue on top of berries and filling. Decorate top of cake with remaining berries. Sift 1-2 tbsp of powder sugar over the top of cake if desired.

ALMOND MERINGUE WITH SUMMER BERRIES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5. Scatter the almonds on a baking sheet and roast for 6-8 mins until golden. Very coarsely grind them in a small food processor, then set aside. Lower oven to 160C/fan 140C/gas 3. Line a baking sheet with non-stick baking parchment.
• Beat the egg whites in a scrupulously clean mixing bowl until stiff peaks have formed. Tip in half the sugar and beat again until stiff peaks are formed once more. Using a metal spoon, deftly fold in the remaining sugar a spoonful at a time, followed by most of the almonds (keep a small handful back). Tip the meringue onto the lined sheet and spread it out quite roughly to a 20cm circle. Scatter over the reserved almonds. Bake for 20 mins, reduce the temperature to 140C/120C fan/gas 1, then bake for a further 40 mins. Let meringue cool in the oven with the door ajar or on the side as you wish.
• While the meringue is baking, and if you wish to add the glamour of a raspberry ripple to the cream, make a few spoonfuls of purée by pressing 125g of the raspberries through a sieve.
• When nearing the moment for assembly, whip the cream until soft and cloudy. Lightly ripple through about half, or more, of the raspberry purée through the cream. You can serve the rest separately on the side. Place the meringue upon a handsome dish. Spoon the whipped cream liberally over the meringue. Slice the strawberries in a random manner. Heap the berries atop the cream, and offer any remaining fruit separately. Sift over the icing sugar. Take to the table and take a bow.

ALMOND TART WITH STONE FRUIT AND LIME MERINGUE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Whisk flour, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Scrape in seeds from vanilla bean; save pod for another use. Add butter and toss to coat. Work in butter with your fingers until mixture resembles coarse meal with some pea-size pieces of butter remaining.
• Using a fork, gently mix in egg, then turn out onto a clean surface and gently knead just until dough comes together (do not overwork). Press dough into bottom and up sides of tart pan with your fingers, then flatten with the bottom of a large measuring cup. Cover and chill until very firm, at least 1 hour.
• Line dough with parchment or foil, leaving an overhang. Fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake crust until edges are dry, 20-25 minutes. Remove parchment and weights and bake crust again until dry but not quite browned, 10-15 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack; let cool.
• Crust can be baked 1 day ahead. Store tightly wrapped at room temperature.
• Combine milk and cream in a medium saucepan, then scrape in vanilla seeds; add pod. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Remove from heat; discard vanilla pod.
• Whisk egg yolks, granulated sugar, all-purpose flour, cornstarch, and salt in a medium bowl until very pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Whisking constantly, gradually add hot milk mixture to egg mixture. Transfer back to saucepan and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until mixture is thick and holds whisk marks, about 2 minutes.
• Press pastry cream through a finemesh sieve into a medium bowl. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing directly onto surface; chill until cold, at least 2 hours.
• Pulse almonds in a food processor until very finely chopped. Add powdered sugar and butter and process until smooth. Add egg whites; process just to combine. Fold into chilled pastry cream, then fold in white chocolate.
• Filling can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and chill.
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Combine almonds, butter, and 1 tablespoon granulated sugar in a small bowl. Scrape filling into cooled crust and top with almonds. Bake tart until filling is puffed and set and edges are golden brown, 45-50 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack; let cool.
• Just before serving, make the meringue. Using an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat egg whites until frothy, about 1 minute. With motor running, gradually add remaining 1/4 cup granulated sugar; beat until stiff peaks form, 5-7 minutes. Mix in 1/2 teaspoon lime zest and lime juice. Serve tart topped with lime meringue, fruit, and more lime zest.
• Tart can be baked 2 days ahead. Store tightly wrapped at room temperature.