MOCHA BLACKBERRY MERINGUE CAKE
 
 
Ingredients
  • ALMOND MERINGUE LAYERS
  • 8 egg whites
  • Pinch sea salt
  • 440g caster (superfine) sugar (2 cups)
  • 1 tsp vanilla paste or extract
  • 80g almond meal
  • 2 tbsp cocoa powder
  • COFFEE CREME DIPLOMAT
  • 500ml milk
  • Seeds of 1 vanilla pod
  • 6 egg yolks
  • 125g caster (superfine) sugar
  • 80g plain flour, sifted
  • 3 tsp instant coffee, finely ground
  • 200ml thickened cream
  • TO ASSEMBLE
  • 1½ cups of cherries (1/4 pitted and chopped)
  • 1 punnet blackberries (1/4 of them chopped)
  • A few ferrero rochers
  • A handful of hazelnuts, roasted
  • Icing sugar, for dusting
Method
  1. MERINGUE LAYERS
  2. Preheat the oven to 220 C (470 F) and line two sheet trays with baking paper. Trace a 7" circle on each sheet of baking paper, then flip the sheets over.
  3. In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment, whip the egg whites and salt until stiff then slowly rain in your sugar, followed by the vanilla.
  4. Whip on high until the meringue is very stiff and the sugar is dissolved.
  5. Fold the almond meal into the meringue gently with a rubber spatula, followed by the cocoa.
  6. Divide the meringue between the two baking trays and spread out into two even discs, using the trace as a guide.
  7. Place in the oven and immediately turn down the temperature to 120 C (250 F) and bake for 90 minutes. Then turn off the oven (without opening the door) and leave the meringues in there overnight to cool completely.
  8. COFFEE CREME DIPLOMAT
  9. To make the coffee buttercream, bring the milk and vanilla to a simmer in a medium pot.
  10. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk together the sugar, flour and egg yolks.
  11. Pour the milk in a steady stream into the egg mixture, while continuously whisking.
  12. Transfer the mixture back into the pot, and still whisking, bring to the boil and cook for a further minute. Take off the heat and whisk in the instant coffee.
  13. Pour the custard back into a bowl, and place plastic wrap directly on the surface of the custard. Refrigerate till cool.
  14. Once the custard is cool, whip the cream till medium peaks form and fold through.
  15. TO ASSEMBLE
  16. Place one meringue layer on your serving plate.
  17. Top with half the cream, and spread out to the edges. Scatter over the chopped fruit.
  18. Place the other meringue layer on top. Spread the remaining cream over the top layer.
  19. Scatter with ferreros, hazelnuts, remaining cherries and half the blackberries. Use a mortar and pestle (or stick blender) to turn the remaining blackberries into a syrup, and drizzle over. To finish, dust with icing sugar.
  20. Keep refrigerated. Easily serves 12 - 15.
  21. Happy baking!
Recipe by Butter Baking at https://www.butterbaking.com/2016/12/29/mocha-blackberry-meringue-cake/