Cinnamon & Hazelnut Meringue

 

I think this is the best meringue recipe I ever find ever, using the Swiss meringue method .. its so delicious ..and  the cook book is so highly recommend too , Ottolenghi - The Cook Book .. !!  Let's have a try but not recommend to bake this during summer time because a long hour of using the oven, try bake during winter only, it will. keep your room warm :))

 

 

 

Cinnamon & Hazelnut Meringue

Source : Ottolenghi - The Cookbook

Ingredients :
200gr free-range egg white (about 7)
260 gr superfine sugar
140 gr dark brown muscovado sugar
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
30 gr unskinnd hazelnuts, coarsely chopped

Directions :
Pre heat the oven 225 F
Fill a medium saucepan with water and bring it to a light simmer
Place the egg white and both sugars in a heatproof bowl large enough to sit on top of the pan. Put in over the simmering water, making sure it doesn't actually touch the water, and leave it there about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally , until the mixture is quite hot (105F) and the sugar have dissolved into the whites.

Pour the whites into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, and whip on high speed. Work the meringue about 8 minute, until the mix has cooled completely . When ready, it should be firm and glossy, and keep its shape when you lift a bit with spoon.

Sprinkle with cinnamon over the meringue mix and use a rubber spatula to fold it in gently.

Line a flat baking sheet or 2 depending on their size with parchment paper.
Have ready 2 large kitchen spoon. Use one of them to scoop up a generous spoonful of the meringue and the other to scrape this out onto the line pan, sprinkle with hazelnut

Place in the oven and bake for 1 1/4 to 2 hours. To check, poke them gently inside and look underneath . The meringue should be nice and dry underneath and still a little soft in the center.

Remove from the oven and leave to cool. Store in a dry place, but not the fridge, the meringue will keep for a few days.

 

Note :

ooh.. jeez, I think my mind is always somewhere else ... it was funny moment, until I saw pictures in this page again several days after I posting .. what the heck those book sitting there but accessori , no.. i don't mean that ... I was about to telling you about the novel that I read , i tell you that book is so recomended from me .. well, you know I am a big fan of James Petterson, but this book is kind of different than the series I read before .. the title is Suzanne's Diary for Nicholas ... I love the book .. I enjoy the book. Go to local library , get that book.. and read it .. i think you will like it as I do ..   Anyway, I found the movie from netflix .. I plan to watch the movie over the weekend , and see if I won't feel dissapointed as like before.. you know, sometime book is better than movie it self..

The Cake

Again, I posted recipe using white eggs ; I told you I will come more often with recipe contains white eggs since I still have gallons of white eggs.  I love this recipe,  the cake is so delicious even  the frosting. Finally I out of my comfort zone when come to décor a cake with buttercream . The buttercream is so light and airy - perfect for someone who doesn't like heavy buttercream like store buttercream taste.  I might use this recipe more often.

The author of the cake book are 2 very talented guys, see I always amazed with guys who know how to bake a pretty delicious cake.  I've been tag several recipe from their cake book ; hopefully I will enough time to bake often since I really need to sit and sewing .. cross finger.

Aunt Sassy Cake  a.k.a Pistachio Cake
Recipe : Baked Explorations by Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito

Ingredients :
1 cup pistachio ; un-shelled
2 1/2 cups cake flour
3/4 cup all purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
1 3/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1 large egg
3 large white eggs. at room temperature
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

Honey Vanilla Butter Cream
1 1/2 cup sugar -  or 2 cups sugar to more sweet (according my taste )
1/3 cup all purpose flour
1 1/2 cup whole milk
1/3 cup heavy cream
1 1/2 cup (3 sticks) unsalted butter, soft but cool, cut into small piece

Assembly :
1/3 cup crushed shelled pistachio

Directions : Make The Cake
Preheat the oven to 325 F - Butter three-8 inch round cake pan, line the bottoms with parchment paper , add butter the parchment. Dust the parchment with flour and knock out the excess flour.

In the bowl of a food processor, pulse the pistachio until they are coarsely chopped. Transfer about 2 tablespoon to a large bowl.  Continue to process the rest of pistachio until they almost powdery - but not superfine dust.  Stir the pistachio powder into the reserved coarse pistachio. Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. together over the large bowl containing the pistachio mix. Stir to combine.

In the bowl of standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and shortening on medium speed until  creamy, 3 to 4 minute. Add the sugar and vanilla and beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the bowl, add the whole egg, and beat just combine. Turn the mixture to low.

In measuring cup, make 1 1/2 cup of ice water. Add the flour mixture to the mixer in three parts, alternating with the ice water, beginning and ending with the flour mixture.  For each addition, turn the mixer to low to add ingredients then up to medium speed for a few second until incorporated.

In medium bowl, whisk the eggs whites and cream of tartar until soft peaks form.  You can do this by hand, or hand mixer it should only take 2 to 3 minutes. Don't over beat. Gently fold the eggs white into the batter.

Divide the batter among the prepared pans and smooth the tops. Bake for 40-45 minute, until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cakes come out clean.  Let it cool for 20 minutes.

Make The Honey Vanilla Butter Cream
In medium, heavy bottomed saucepan, whisk the sugar and flour together. Add the milk and cream and cook over medium heat, whisking occasionally until the mixture comes to a boil and has thickened , about 10 to 15 minutes.

Transfer the mixture to the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on high speed until cool (this takes at least 7 to 9 minutes of mixing).  Reduce the speed to low and add the butter, mix until thoroughly incorporated. Increase the speed to medium high and beat until the frosting is light and fluffy.

Add the vanilla and honey and continue mixing until combined.

Assemble The Cake
Place one cake layer on a serving platter. Trim the top to create a flat surface and evenly spread about 1 1/4 cups frosting on the top. Add the next layer, trim and frost it, add the third layer.  Spread a very thin layer of frosting over the sides and top of the cake and put it in the refrigerator for about 15 minutes to firm up ( this is known as crumb coating and will help to keep loose cake crumbs under control when you frost the outside of cake)
Spread the side and top of the cake with the remaining frosting, garnish with crushed pistachio.

 

White Eggs Brownies

 

Here the things I don't like when I bake spekkoek layer cake, I will end up with gallons of white eggs  and sit on my freezer for long time. I really don't like to waste the food, even just white eggs.. After tired of making white scrumble eggs for me and my little one for our breakfast. I start looking another way to finish the left over white eggs. Don't be surprise you will find that I will posting more of recipe using white eggs.

Should I remind you first, that don't expect "WOW" effect like you always get from a real brownies recipe. To me, the taste of white eggs brownies is fair enough - kind of light compare with regular brownies. BUT .. still delicious according to my taste especially eating with scoop of vanilla ice cream.

So, here is the recipe :

White Eggs Brownies
source : NCC Indonesia

Ingredients :
A. 100 gr all purpose flour
     50 gr granulate sugar

B. 250 gr dark cooking chocolate
     100 gr un-salted butter

C. 100 gr granulate sugar
     150 gr white eggs

D. 100 gr almond slice

Directions :

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Butter and flour an 8-inch square pan.
Mix the A ingredients, set aside
Melt the B ingredients, with double boiler method. Mix with the flour mixture. set aside
In a mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat the white eggs at medium speed until soft peak add sugar slowly, beat until medium peak. Turn of the mixer. Add the white eggs to flour batter, stir with spatula until mix well.
Pour the batter into a greased and floured 8-inch square pan , sprinkle with almond slices and bake for 45 minutes. Check for doneness with the tried-and-true toothpick method: a toothpick inserted into the center of the pan should come out clean. When it's done, remove to a rack to cool. Resist the temptation to cut into it until it's mostly cool.

 

 

Meringue is..

 

I might not pay attention, when my husband talked to me. I was busy baking, and he said : 'why don't you bake cookies that the taste so airy and melted on mouth?'

No idea, what he's talked about. I just ignore him, until yesterday, I saw that I had tons of left over white eggs from baking layer cake on fridge. And remember what my hubby said, 'aah.. may be he want this cookies, meringue..but can't tell what the name is'

I made several batch of cookies, and serve for him for afternoon snack. With hand full of meringue, he said : "No, not this one, the one that you made and everybody like it.. that you put filling in the centre" OOOOOOH...!! I know what he mean, he want 'Macaroon'

Jeez, who didn't pay attention than ? Him ? who always like to eat my cookies but don't care with the name of cookies or me ? with many things on mind .. LOL ..

Ok, never mind, after all, he like it, my daughter like it.. next time I bake again.

Indeed, meringue is so light, so airy, can't stop eating this.. so somebody must to blamed !
Meringue Kiss Cookies
Ingredients:

4 eggs whites
1 cup sugar
pinch of tartar, (can substitute with lemon juice)
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
Food coloring/dye of your choice

Directions:
Line to bake sheets with parchment and heat oven to 225 F

Place sugar, egg whites and tartar in a bowl over (not on) simmering water. Constantly whisk the egg whites until the sugar has dissolved.

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. Add in vanilla extract and any food coloring if you are using it. 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.

Transfer mixture to a pastry bag fitted with a close or open star tip or what ever design you prefer, making sure to set them one inch apart from one another. Bake at 225 degrees F for 45 minutes, then turn off oven and leave the door slightly ajar for meringues to cool down with the oven. Store meringue cookies in an airtight container away from any heat or moisture. Alternatively, store them in the freezer where they can be enjoyed straight from the freezer without any defrosting