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
- Preheat oven to 300˚F.
- In a stand mixer fit with a whisk attachment, beat egg whites and sugar.
- 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.
- Return bowl to mixer. Add pinch of cream of tartar. Whisk on high until medium peaks form, about 4-5 mins.
- Remove whites from mixer and gently fold in cocoa by hand.
- Line 3 cookie sheets with parchment. Trace a 9″ circle on each sheet of parchment to use as a template.
- By hand, form round circles of meringue about 1″ high on each tray, using the circles as a guide.
- Bake meringue for 90 mins. Turn off oven, open door. Let meringue cool.
Cocoa Cream
- Using an electric mixer, whip cream, icing sugar and cocoa together until light and fluffy.
Assembly
- Remove meringue layers from parchment
- Place first meringue on cake plate, flatter side up.
- Generously spread cocoa cream on first layer. Sprinkle raspberries over layer.
- Repeat step 2, finishing with top layer domed side up.
- Decorate with remaining raspberries. Drizzle with melted semisweet chocolate.
Yields 10-12 servings
