Meringue, Chocolate, and Kirsch Cream Layer Cake

Name: Meringue, Chocolate, and Kirsch Cream Layer Cake
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 8
Cuisine: Global
Ingredients: 156 grams fine-quality bittersweet chocolate (not unsweetened), chopped; 8 servings Garnish: grated bittersweet chocolate or chocolate curls; 3 Tbsps confectioners sugar; 5 larges egg whites, at room temperature for 30 minutes; 118 milliliters granulated sugar; 177 milliliters oz almonds or hazelnuts, toasted (see cooks note, below), chopped, and finely ground in a food processor; 355 milliliters chilled heavy cream; 1 teaspoon instant-coffee granules; 1 Tbsp kirsch or Cognac; 8 servings Vegetable oil for greasing; 59 milliliters water

Need a gluten free dessert? Meringue, Chocolate, and Kirsch Cream Layer Cake could be an awesome recipe to try. One portion of this dish contains about 6g of protein, 45g of fat, and a total of 538 calories. This recipe covers 9% of your daily requirements of vitamins and minerals. This recipe serves 8. A mixture of granulated sugar, heavy cream, hazelnuts, and a handful of other ingredients are all it takes to make this recipe so tasty. From preparation to the plate, this recipe takes about 45 minutes.

Instructions

Put oven racks in upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat oven to 425°F.

Equipment you will use

Oven

Oil 2 large baking sheets and dust with flour, knocking off excess. Trace 2 (8-inch) rounds on each baking sheet with a fingertip, using an inverted plate or a saucepan lid as a guide.

Ingredients you will need

All Purpose Flour

Cooking Oil

Equipment you will use

Baking Sheet

Sauce Pan

Whisk together flour and granulated sugar in a small bowl. Beat egg whites with a pinch of salt in a bowl using an electric mixer at medium-high speed until they just hold stiff peaks. Fold in sugar mixture gently but thoroughly, then fold in nuts. Divide meringue among circles, spreading to fill in circles thinly and evenly.

Ingredients you will need

Sugar

Egg Whites

All Purpose Flour

Nuts

Salt

Equipment you will use

Hand Mixer

Whisk

Bowl

Bake meringues in upper and lower thirds of oven, switching position of sheets halfway through baking, until golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes total (meringue will be soft). Loosen meringue rounds with a large metal spatula and transfer to racks to cool.

Equipment you will use

Oven

Spatula

While meringues cool, heat chocolate, water, and coffee in a small heavy saucepan over moderately low heat, stirring until smooth. Cool to lukewarm, then spread chocolate evenly over tops of meringue rounds. Cool at room temperature until chocolate is set, about 3 hours.

Ingredients you will need

Chocolate

Coffee

Spread

Water

Equipment you will use

Sauce Pan

Beat cream with confectioners sugar and kirsch in a bowl with cleaned beaters until it holds stiff peaks. Arrange 1 meringue round, chocolate side up, on a cake stand or plate, then spread 1/3 cup whipped cream over it. Top with a second round and spread with 1/3 cup whipped cream. Repeat, then top with remaining meringue round. Frost top and side of torte with remaining whipped cream.

Ingredients you will need

Powdered Sugar

Whipped Cream

Chocolate

Kirsch

Spread

Cream

Equipment you will use

Bowl

Toast nuts in a shallow baking pan in a 350°F oven until golden, 5 to 10 minutes. If using hazelnuts, rub off loose skins in a kitchen towel (don't worry about any skins that don't come off). Cool nuts completely. Chocolate-coated meringues can be made 1 day ahead and kept (once chocolate is set), layered between sheets of wax paper, in an airtight container at room temperature.

Ingredients you will need

Chocolate

Hazelnuts