Strawberry and Hazelnut Meringue Cake
Serves 6-8
Prep Time 20 min
Cooking Time 50 min
Chilling Time 6hr – overnight
Hazelnut Meringue Base:
6 egg whites
1 cup caster sugar
2 cups ground hazelnut meal
Strawberry Cream:
300ml thickened cream
250g mascarpone (Italian cheese)
seeds of 2 vanilla beans
1 tbsp caster sugar
1 punnet of strawberries, hulled and quartered
Preheat the oven to 160C. Line the bases of 2 square 20cm cake pans with baking paper.
Hazelnut Meringue Base:
Place egg whites into a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Gradually add the sugar, beating well after each addition. Continue to beat until firm and glossy. Fold the hazelnut meal through. Spoon evenly into the prepared pans and level the tops. Bake each pan for 20-25 minutes until cooked through. Cool in pans.
Strawberry Cream:
Place cream in a large mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Add mascarpone, vanilla seeds and sugar and beat until well combined. Fold the strawberries through.
Spoon the strawberry cream over one of the cooled meringues in the pan. Remove the other meringue from the pan and discard the baking paper. Carefully press the meringue on top of the strawberry cream. Cover for at least 6 hours, preferably overnight until very firm. Top with icing sugar just prior to serving. Slice into squares with a bread knife.
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