Lemon & Poppy Seeds Meringue Cake

The flavors of lemon and poppy seeds complement each other beautifully in this cake. I used the Meyer lemons for this recipe, but if they are not available, ordinary lemons will do just as well.

French Hazelnut Meringue Cake

"According to legend, the recipe for this delicious pastry came from a fifteenth-century parchment found among the fallen stones and rubble of a monastery in area of Crocq, in the Creuse - one of the 83 departments created during the Revolution, when so many monasteries were destroyed. The monks cooked this creusois cake in ceramic tiles that were themselves creuses - hollow, concave, or curved…

Christmas Cookies #6:"Zebras"- Marbled Meringue

I have been making these cookies since I found them on Williams-Sonoma site few years ago. They have become favorite recipe for my children and they call them "Zebras".

Black Forest Mini Pavlova With Chocolate Mousse

This mouthwatering Black Forest Mini Pavlova With Chocolate Mousse dessert is rich and extremely delicious. Use the good quality dark chocolate for the most authentic and intense chocolate flavor. These are real luxurious sweet treats.

Chocolate-Orange Cover Meringue with Pistachio

These cookies are dramatically elegant and unusually delicious. The airy, sweet, and crispy cocoa-flavored merengue puff contains a fudged orange  chocolate counterpoint at its pistachio-coated center.

Bûchettes de Noël - Cocoa Meringue

Bûche de Noël is a classic French Christmas cake whose name translates as "yule log." These bûchettes, meaning "little logs," are intended to be mini-versions of this classic made with, instead of cake, the crispest, lightest, cocoa meringue. They are a perfect accompaniment to hot chocolate, coffee, tea, eggnog, Cognac, or even milk.

Holiday Cookies

from left to right

Rose Water Meringue Kisses with Chocolate
Vanilla Button Cookies
Vanilla Almond Half-Moons or Vanillekipferl, Austrian Cookies
Lemon Ricotta Cookies with Lemon and Cranberry Glaze

Rose Water Meringue Kisses with Chocolate

BLUE-BELLS IN THE SHADE by Eliza Cook 

"The choicest buds in Flora's train, let other fingers twine ; 
Let others snatch the damask rose, or wreath the eglantine. 
I'd leave the sunshine and parterre, and seek the woodland glade, 
To stretch me on the fragrant bed of blue-bells in the shade. 

Let others cull the daffodil, the lily, soft and fair, 
And deem the tulip's gaudy cup most beautiful and rare ; 
But give to me, oh ! give to me, the coronal that's made 
Of ruby orchis mingled with the blue-bells from the shade. 

The sunflower and the peony, the poppy bright and gay, 
Have no alluring charms for me ; I'd fling them all away. 
Exotic bloom may fill the vase, or grace the high-born maid ; 
But sweeter far, to me, than all, are Blue-bells in the shade."



Tip: Make sure not to make meringue on a humid day, as they tend to leech on to any moisture and will not set up properly or stay crisp. After they baked you need store the meringue cookies in an airtight container away from any heat or moisture. 

Ingredients:

• 4 egg whites
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1 teaspoon rose water extract (or another flavor, if preferred)
• food coloring, optional
• 5 oz chocolate, melted and cooled

Directions:

Preheat oven to 175 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a large bowl whisk together the egg whites, sugar, and cream of tartar. Place the bowl on top of a medium sauce pan filled with a couple of inches of barely simmering water and set over medium heat. Gently whisk the mixture constantly until the sugar dissolves, about 5 minutes. Pour the egg mixture into a clean bowl. Using a whisk attachment on a stand mixer or a hand held mixture, slowly beat egg mixture. Gradually increase speed and continue to beat mixture until stiff peaks have almost formed. Mixture is ready when whisk attachment dipped into mixture leaves a curled but stiff peak when removed. Gently stir in the extract and food coloring, if using.

Fill a pastry bag with the meringue, and pipe small star shapes onto prepared baking sheets.

Bake cookies until crisp but not brown, about 1 hour 40 minutes. Let cool completely in the oven with the door slightly ajar. Once the meringues have cooled to room temperature, sandwich 2 meringues together with 1/2 teaspoon melted chocolate. Repeat with remaining meringues. 

Crêpes Gâteau with Plum Jam and Chocolate Meringue Cream - Happy Mother's Day!

I love making crêpes and waffles for my family. My children help to prepare the batter and join in with the cooking. Today you can make crêpes from different flours like buckwheat or rye, and enclosing a myriad of savory and sweet fillings. Batters can be made a day ahead and kept in a container in the refrigerator until needed. This Crêpes Gâteau with Plum Jam and Chocolate Meringue Cream has a rich and chocolaty flavor (the cream alone, makes it a dream) and a little sourness of plums makes perfect combination of flavors. It rolls breakfast and dessert, my two favorite meals, into one.

Check out the cover for my portfolio. I like to hear your opinions.



Ingredients:

For about 12-14 crêpes:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 Tbsp superfine sugar
• pinch of salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/4 cups milk
• 1/3 cup heavy cream
• few drops of vanilla
• a little oil, to cook

For the chocolate meringue cream:

• 3 large egg whites
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature, cut into tablespoons
• 5 oz bittersweet chocolate, melted

For the cake:

• 12-14 crêpes
• chocolate meringue cream
• plum jam (as much as you ned it, about 2/3 cup)
• 2 tsp sugar

Directions:

To make the batter for the crêpes, put the flour, sugar, and salt in a bowl. Add the eggs, mix well with a whisk, then stir in a generous 1/3 cup milk to make a smooth batter. Gradually stir in the rest of the milk and the cream. Let the batter rest in a warm place for about an hour. When you are ready to cook the crêpes, give the batter a stir and flavor with vanilla. Brush a crêpes pan with a little oil and heat. Ladle in a little bate and tilt the pan to cover the bottom thinly. Cook the crêpe for 1 minute. As soon as little holes appear all over the surface, turn the crêpe over and cook the other side for 30 to 40 seconds.Transfer to a plate and cook the rest of the batter, stacking the crêpes interleaved with waxed paper as they are cooked.

To make the meringue cream, in a heatproof bowl of an electric mixer set over a saucepan of simmering water, combine the egg whites and sugar. Cook, whisking constantly, until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is warm to the touch (about 160˚F). Attach the bowl to the mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat egg white mixture on high speed until it holds stiff (but not dry) peaks. Continue beating until mixture is fluffy and cooled, about 6 minutes. Switch to the paddle attachment. With the mixer on medium low speed, add the butter several tablespoons of butter at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in melted chocolate and espresso. Beat on lowest speed to eliminate any air bubbles, about 2 minutes. Stir with a rubber spatula until frosting is smooth.

Assembling the Gâteau, place first crepe on a plate. Spread a thin layer of meringue evenly across the cake. Lay second crepe on top. Top with about one teaspoon of the plum jam. Repeat frosting process until all but one crepe is left. Place the last crepe on a separate plate. Evenly distribute remaining 2 teaspoons of sugar. Caramelize the sugar with a small handheld kitchen torch. Place the crêpe on top of cake and let cool. Once the caramelized sugar has cooled, dust with coco powder and garnish with few slices of ripe plum. Cool cake in the refrigerator to let cream harden.

Happy Mother's Day My Dear Ladies!

Cranberry-Meringue Tart (Tarte Meringuee Aux Airelles) Beautiful Winter Dessert

Although, we are all waiting for the spring to come, I think there are a few winter recipes that we like to try before the sunny days are here. Today we have 53F outside, but my photographs look like Christmas cards, I guess I can use them next year :-)) probably; I am waiting for the snow - we will see about this. In the meantime, enjoy a slice of the delicious Meringue Tart with cranberries and a cup of coffee, a little treat in February.

This is a winter tart, when cranberries are in season. In a summer this tart can be made with red currant. Both cranberries and red currants are mouth-puckering red berries. Their intense flavor contrasts well with the almond- meringue butter and the crispy, unsweetened tart shell.



This recipe comes from one of my favorite book of chef Georges Perrier Le Bec-Fin Recipes

Makes one 10-inch tart

Ingredients:

• I pound Pate Brisee
• ½ cup finely chopped blanched almonds
• 2 tsp cornstarch
• ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
• 3 eggs whites
• Pinch of salt
• ¾ cup sugar
• ½ tsp lemon juice
• ½ pound fresh cranberries, washed and drained
• Confectioners’ sugar (for dusting)

Directions:

On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the dough to 1/4-inch thickness to fit a 9 1/2 or 10-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Trim the pastry even with the pan rim. Cover and place in a freezer for 1 hour. 
Preheat an oven to 400°F.



Line the pastry shell with aluminum foil and fill with pie weights. Bake until slightly set, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove the tart shell from the oven and remove the weights and foil. Let cool. Reduce the oven to 375°F.

To make the filling, combine the almonds, cornstarch, and cinnamon in a small bowl and set aside. Beat the egg whites and the salt until soft peaks form. Sprinkle in the sugar and beat again until almost firm and glossy. Stir in the lemon juice and beat until firm and glossy. Gently fold the almonds mixture and the cranberries into the meringue. Pour the filling into the pre-baked tart shell. Dust with confectioners’ sugar. Bake immediately on the lower rack of the oven for 30 minutes or until the filling has set and is no longer runny.

Tip: When cranberries are in season, buy several extra bags and freeze them right in their bag. Than you can make the tart whenever you want. Fold in the cranberries while still frozen.

Pavlova with Lemon Cream, and Berries - The Perfect Holiday Dessert and a GIVEAWAY!

No one knows who first created the Pavlova. But the name and the recipes first began appearing soon after Russian prima ballerina, Anna Pavlova (she was born on 12 February 1881, in St. Petersburg, Russia, my home town), toured both Australia and New Zealand in 1926, and Australia again in 1929. Anna Pavlova was considered the greatest ballerina of her time, and her visit to New Zealand has been described as "the chief event of 1926." It was said "She does not dance; she soars as though on wings." From this you get the sense that this is a light, airy dessert.



There is a controver with both Australia and New Zealand. While it has been suggested this dessert was created in New Zealand, it has also become recognized as a popular Australian dish. Both countries claim to have invented this dessert and claim it as their national dish.

We don't know who is right, but we do know that this is a miracle of a dessert, and not so difficult that we should shy away from it. The meringue shell is crispy on the outside and creamy on the inside. It is lighter than air, as the great ballerina was supposed to be.
Please read the recipe, and try this magical dessert yourself.


Adapted from Tartelette

Ingredients for the meringue:

• 1 cup superfine granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 3 large eggs at room temperature 30 minutes
• 3 tablespoons cold water
• 1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar

Ingredients for the filling:

• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 stick unsalted butter
• 3 large egg yolks, lightly beaten
• 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2 cups mixed berries

Directions:
Preheat oven to 300ºF and position a rack in the center.
To prepare the lemon cream, stir sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a saucepan. Add the lemon juice and butter, bringing the mixture to a simmer over medium high heat. Continue to whisk at a simmer, about 1 minute. Whisk about 1/4 of the mixture into the beaten egg yolks, then transfer the egg yolk mixture back into the saucepan. Over low heat, continue to cook, but make sure not to boil, whisking constantly until the lemon curd is thick, about 2 minutes. Scrape into a shallow bowl, stir in the lemon zest, and place a piece of parchment over the surface. Refrigerate for about 1-1/2 hours.



To prepare the meringue, line a baking sheet with parchment and trace a circle about 7" in diameter in the center. Turn the parchment over.
Whisk superfine sugar and cornstarch together in a small bowl. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat whites with a pinch of salt at medium speed until soft peaks form. Add the water and beat until whites hold soft peaks once again.
On medium-high, beat in sugar mixture 1 Tbsp at a time. After all sugar has been added, beat 1 minute longer. Add vinegar, then beat at high speed until glossy and stiff peaks form, about 5 minutes (longer if using hand-held mixer). The meringue will be extremely thick.
Spread meringue carefully to cover the circle on the parchment, creating a cavity in the center (for the filling). Bake until meringue is pale golden and has a crust, about 45 minutes. Avoid opening the oven door! Turn oven off and prop door open slightly with a wooden spoon. Cool meringue in oven 1 hour. The exterior will be dry and possibly cracked, the inside more like the consistency of marshmallow.
To assemble the pavlova, beat the heavy cream just as it holds stiff peaks, then 1/4 cup at a time, whisk cream into the lemon curd. Check consistency each time before adding more cream. It should be able to mound.
Spoon lemon cream into cooled meringue and mound fruit in the center. Serve with extra whipped cream if desired.



Once you have the desert ready, all you need is a nice cup of tea. Well, jar of homemade jam would be a nice addition.  So...

Dear Friends, I have a GIVEAWAY today and it is open for everybody around the world.

What's in the parcel:
Box of Tea Forte with porcelain tea cup ensemble, and Pear and Vanilla Jam I've made myself, and it's the best jam ever.

How to enter:

• Leave a comment at the end of this post
• To double your chances, "like" Cooking Melangery on Facebook
• Please one comment per person, anonymous will not be accepted
• The gift will be shipped to a physical street address, sorry no P.O. Boxes
• The giveaway will close Sunday, November 20 2011, at midnight Eastern time

Good luck!

Homemade Meringue Mushrooms

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour, 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour, 45 minutes

Ingredients:

• 4 egg whites, at room temperature
• 1/2 tsp cream of tartar
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder

Preparation:

Prepare 2 baking sheets by lining them with parchment paper. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees.
Place room temperature egg whites in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. It is important that the bowl and whisk both be very clean, so that the egg whites whip properly.
Begin beating the egg whites on medium speed. Once they are very frothy, stop the mixer and add the cream of tartar. Start the mixer again and continue to beat the egg whites. Once they form soft peaks, increase the speed to high and gradually add the sugar, a tablespoon at a time. Beat the whites until they are very shiny and hold stiff peaks, but are not dry or crumbly.
Spoon the meringue into a large pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch round tip, or the open end of a coupler.



First, pipe the mushroom caps: hold the pastry bag at a 90-degree angle about 1/2 inch from the parchment paper. Using firm and even pressure, squeeze out a round meringue disc about 2 inches in diameter and 1 inch high. Stop squeezing, then twist the bag and lift it from the meringue to get a clean “break” from the cap. Repeat in regular intervals on the baking sheet until you have approximately 2 dozen mushroom caps. You can smooth out the tops of your mushrooms by wetting your index finger and lightly running it along the caps.
Next, pipe the mushroom stems. Again position the bag perpendicular about 1/2-inch from the baking sheet. Begin squeezing the bag to form a 1-inch round base. Continue to squeeze as you slowly and evenly draw the bag up, forming a tapering stem about 1.5 inches tall. Use the remaining meringue to pipe as many stems as possible—some stems invariably tilt and collapse, so you should always make extras.

 

Bake the meringues at 200 degrees for about 90 minutes, turning them halfway through the cooking time to ensure even cooking. The meringues should be hard and dry to the touch, and you should be able to easily lift one from the parchment. Once the meringues are done, turn off the oven and let them sit in the oven for several hours or overnight.
To assemble the mushrooms, melt the white chocolate in a small bowl. Use a toothpick to carve a small hole in the bottom of a mushroom cap. Dip the top of a stem in the white chocolate, and stick the chocolate-covered stem top in the hole of the mushroom cap. Place the mushroom on a baking tray to set, and repeat with remaining caps and stems.
Place the cocoa powder in a sifter, and lightly sift cocoa over the tops of the mushrooms. Mushrooms can be stored for up to a 5-6 days in an airtight container in a cool, dry room. Note that humidity can make the mushroom soft and collapse, so do not place them on a cake or in a refrigerated environment until immediately before serving.

Lemon Cupcakes

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, chilled and chopped
• 1 cup superfine sugar
• 2 tsp. finely grated lemon zest
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 1/2 cups self-rising flour, sifted

Direction:

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line 36 mini muffin cups with paper liners.
Place the butter, sugar, and lemon zest in a saucepan and stir over low heat until the sugar has dissolved. Transfer to a large bowl. Add the eggs, milk and and flour and beat with electric beaters until just combined.



Divide the mixture evenly among the paper liners. Bake for 15 minutes, or until a skewer comes out of clean when inserted into the cake. Transfer onto a wire rack to cool.
Decorate each cupcake with some strips of zest and meringue.

Peach Cobbler with Swiss Meringue Brûlée

This homey cobbler is the perfect summer dessert, especially when topped with a scoop of fresh meringues.

Ingredients for the Filling:

• 2 1/2 lb.(6 to 7 medium) firm but ripe peaches, peeled and cut into wedges
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 Tbs. cornstarch
• 1 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
• Pinch salt

Ingredients for Biscuit Topping:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 3/4 tsp. baking powder
• 1/4 tsp. baking soda
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 5 Tbs. cold unsalted butter, cut
• into 1/4-inch pieces
• 1/3 cup plain whole milk yogurt

Ingredients for Meringues:

• 4 egg whites
• 1 cup sugar

Directions for the Cobbler:
Preheat an oven to 425°F.
Peel, pit and slice the peaches.
In a bowl, toss together the peaches, lemon juice, salt, sugar and cornstarch. Spread in the prepared baking dish, place the dish on a baking sheet, and bake for 15 minutes.
To make the biscuits, in a bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Scatter the butter over the flour mixture and cut in with a pastry blender until the dough resembles coarse cornmeal with chunks of butter the size of peas. Add the yogurt and stir and toss with a fork just until the ingredients come together.



When the filling has baked for 15 minutes, remove it from the oven. Drop the dough onto the filling in 6 heaping, evenly spaced spoonfuls. Return to the oven and bake until the peach juices are bubbling, the topping is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the topping comes out clean, 15-20 minutes more.
Transfer to a wire rack and let cool for at least 30 minutes.



Directions for Meringues:
In a bowl, combine the egg whites and sugar. Place over simmering water and whisk until the mixture is hot, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer the bowl to a mixer and beat on high speed until stiff peaks form and the mixture is lukewarm, 4 to 5 minutes.




Place a spoonful of the meringue on top of each biscuit. Using a kitchen torch according to the manufacturer's instructions, move the flame continuously in small circles over the surface of the meringue until it is lightly browned. Serve immediately.

Chocolate and Hazelnut Meringue Cake Happy Birthday to Me!

Adapted from Martha Stewart.

Now is not the time to use the cheap-o chocolate. Get the best quality bittersweet chocolate you can find as it is the star of the recipe (Guittard, Callebaut, Valrhona, El Rey, Scharffen Berger, etc...).

To toast the hazelnuts, preheat oven to 350F and spread the nuts in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake 10 to 15 minutes until golden brown.
To skin the nuts without driving yourself crazy, place them in a mesh bag (like a recycled orange or lemon bag) and rub the nuts between your hand over the sink. The skins will fall and only the "naked" nuts will remain in your bag.

Ingredients for the cake:

• 10 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for pan
• 3/4 cup firmly packed light-brown sugar
• 6 large whole eggs, separated
• 12 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted and cooled
• 1 1/2 tablespoons espresso (or vanilla)
• 1 1/2 tablespoons rum (optional)(not with us!)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

For the meringue:

• 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, roughly chopped (1 cup)
• 1 cup hazelnuts (about 4 ounces), toasted and skinned (see notes) and roughly chopped
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 4 large egg whites
• 3/4 cup sugar

Prepare the cake:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-by-3-inch springform pan. Line bottom with parchment paper. Butter parchment and set aside.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, whip the butter and brown sugar until pale and smooth at medium speed, about 3 minutes. Add egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping the bottom and sides of your bowl if necessary. Add the melted chocolate, espresso (or vanilla), rum, if using, and salt. Beat until combined. Transfer to a clean bowl and wash your mixing bowl thoroughly.
In a clean mixer bowl fitted the whisk attachment, beat the 6 egg whites on high speed until soft peaks form, about 2 minutes. Fold one-third of the egg whites into chocolate mixture. Fold in remaining egg whites and pour batter into prepared pan, and bake 25 minutes.
Prepare the meringue:
Combine the chopped chocolate, nuts and cornstarch in a small bowl, and set aside. Place remaining 4 egg whites in a clean mixer bowl fitted with the whisk attachment, beat on high speed until frothy. With the mixer running, slowly add the sugar and continue beating until stiff peaks form, about 8 minutes. Fold in hazelnut mixture.
Assemble and Finish:
Remove cake from oven. Using a large offset spatula, spread meringue mixture on top of cake using as little strokes as possible not to deflate the meringue, and return to oven. Bake until meringue is lightly browned and crisp, 25 to 30 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack; let stand 10 minutes. Run a knife around the edge of the cake to loosen, and release sides of pan. Let cool, about 30 minutes, before slicing and serving.