Desserts with Meringue Base

[sixelagogo]

I'm putting together a new curriuculum for a Baking and Pastry Class and I want to have a unit on use of meringues in baking (other than meringue cookies and angel food cake)..I'd like for there to be 6 different inversions of the meringue theme. Thus far, I've come up with Baked Alaska, Pavlova, and Meringue shells, but that's all I can come up with...Any ideas....better yet, good recipes?

[JoanN]

Do you mean "base" literally? No lemon meringue pie? How about meringue mushrooms to decorate a yule log?

[sixelagogo]

yes...nay to lemon meringue (they've already made that in an earlier class)..

[sweetpotater]

Floating islands (oeufs a la neige).

[chowser]

I've made it as a base for a chocolate hazelnut cake--hazelnut meringue, nutella chocolate mousse, chocolate cake. That might be too far out of the rhelm for the class, though. If you want, I can post it.

[sixelagogo]

please do...is what you're refering to a Dacquoise?

[chowser]

It isn't what I think of as a dacquoise but maybe in other people's idea--it's only a base of nut meringue w/ cake and mousse over, frosted with ganache. The recipe is from Bon Appetit but isn't on the epicurious site. This does take a couple of days to make but is delicious--just the aroma alone is wonderful.

CHOCOLATE-HAZELNUT SOUFFLE CAKE (paraphrased)

MOUSSE
12 large egg yolks
½ c. sugar
6 Tab. Frangelico
½ butter, room temperature
4 oz. Bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
6 Tab. Nutella
1 c. chilled whipping cream

MERINGUE
¾ c. hazelnut, toasted, husked
6 Tab. Powdered sugar
1 Tab. All purpose flour
3 large egg whites
3 Tab. Sugar

CAKE
¾ c. hazelnuts, toasted, husked
½ c. all purpose flour
8 oz. Bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
1 c. butter

6 eggs, separated
1 c. sugar
½ tsp salt

GANACHE
1 ½ whipping cream
12 oz. Bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped

FOR MOUSSE:
Whisk egg yolks and sugar in medium saucepan to blend. Whisk in Frangelico. Add butter. Whisk gently over medium heat until mixture is thick, about 4 minutes (do not boil). Remove from heat. Add chocolate and whisk until melted. Gently stir in Nutella. Transfer to large bowl; cool to room temperature. Beat cream in medium bowl until cream holds peaks; fold into chocolate mixture in 2 additions. Cover mousse and chill up to one day.

FOR MERINGUE:
Preheat oven to 300 deg. Remove sides from springform pan; cover bottom with parchment paper round (do not attach sides). Finely groun nuts w/ powdered sugar and flour in processor. Using electric mixer, beat egg whites in medium bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually add 3 Tab. Sugar, beating until stiff, not dry. Fold in ground nut mixture. Spoon into bag fitted with 3/8 inch plain round tip. Starting in the center of parchment round, pipe continuous spiral of meringue to cover. Place pan with meringue on baking sheet. Bake 20 minutes. Reduce heat until golden but slightly soft to touch, about 20 minutes longer. Cut around meringue to loosen. Transfer meringue on parchment rack to cool completely (will be crisp).

FOR CAKE:
Preheat oven to 300 deg.. Attach sides to bottom and line with parchment paper. Blend hazelnuts and flour in processor until nuts are finely ground. Stir chocolate and butter in saucepan over low heat until melted and smooth; cool to lukewarm.

Using electric mixer, beat egg yolks, ¼ c. sugar, salt in large bowl until thick ribbon falls when beaters are lifted, about 4 minutes. Fold in chocolate mixture. Using dry, clean beaters, beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Gradually add remaining ½ c. sugar beating until stiff but not dry; fold into chocolate mixture. Fold in nut mixture in 3 additions.

Transfer batter to prepared pan. Bake until test inserted into center comes out with moist clumps still attached, about 40 mnutes. Cool completely (center will sink). Press edges to same level as center. Cut around cake, remove sides. Invert cake onto work surface and remove paper.

Return meringue to same pan bottom. Spread 1 c. mouse over meringue; place cake on top. Attach sides of pan. Spoon remaining mousse over cake in pan; smooth top. Cover and freeze overnight.

FOR GANACHE:
Bring cream to simmer in medium saucepan. Remove from heat and add chocolate. Stir until melted and smooth. Cool until thickens enough to coat spoon thoroughly, about 2 hours.

Place large sheet of foil on work surface; place cake rack in center. Remove sides from pan, place cake still on bottom pan on rack. Pour ganache over cake, smoothing sides and top with long spatula. Refrigerate until ganache is set, at least an hour, up to a day.

[maria lorraine]

No, this isn't a dacquoise, but sure looks tasty!

[chloe103]

Dacquoise?

[maria lorraine]

Yes, your class should cover Japonais, meringue with ground nuts, usually almonds. This forms the layers of one of the best desserts in the world, dacquoise.

Of course, cover the types of meringue...French, Italian, Swiss, etc.
Stability, consistency, weeping, which kind for which end result, etc.

And making marshmallows.

[chef chicklet]

There is a lovely Mexican dessert, rather colorful (pink,pale yellow, and pale green) also that uses meringues dropped in a large brandy bowl shaped glass and then a light almond custard sauce poured over...not to mention delicious!

[sixelagogo]

do you know the name of this dessert/have a recipe?

[chef chicklet]

Well I have a recipe and it is called "Almond Pudding" or Almedrado - pretty to look at and very nice to eat. I have the recipe if you want. Merely using a little food coloring to tint the soft meringue and then pouring a pale yellow custard over. A friend made this for me, not only pretty but really good to eat. This is ones great for a dramatic dessert.

[amyzan]

There's a recipe in Rose's Christmas Cookies for a meringue shell cookie filled with chocolate. I've never made it but the photo makes it look divine.

[goodhealthgourmet]

it's not a base, but you might want to consider teaching them how to make italian meringue icing [a.k.a. seven-minute frosting] as well.

[Nettie]

How about Boccone Dolce: meringues drizzled with chocolate and layered with whipped cream and strawberries?

I've made this recipe: http://whatscookingamerica.net/Cake/BocconeDolce.htm
This one is similar: http://www.subrosa.arbre.us/SubRosaBo...