Meringue Nests with Macerated Strawberries and Chantilly Cream

Hello Bakers,

It's Mother's Day on Sunday and strawberries are in season. This is a great dessert to make for Mother's Day. 

Meringue nests make a beautiful container for fresh berries and they are actually easy to make - even easier then macarons. Because we get to whip the egg whips and sugar to stiff peaks - we can do this because there are equal parts sugar and egg whites. The we are going to add a little powdered sugar. The cornstarch in the powdered sugar helps the meringues dry. The only problem with the nests is that they take a long time to bake - 200 degrees for at least two hours. They can be made a day ahead. Macerate the berries no more then a half hour before serving and assemble as close to serving as possible - It doesn't take long.

I really encourage you to make a batch of these. Meringue nests are a classic pastry case that can be filled with ice cream and mousses and all kinds of fresh fruit. 

Let me know if you have any questions.

Happy Baking! Colette

Meringue Nests

Equipment: Stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, spatula, scale, piping tip fitted with and 805 or 806 tip. Quarter or half sheet pan lined with parchment paper.

Preheat oven 200 degrees, makes 6 2 1/2" wide nests (quarter sheet pan) *Recipe can be doubled to make 12 (1/2 sheet pan)

Pan prep: Using a 2 1/2" round cutter, trace 6 circles onto the parchment paper, flip over and place on sheetpan. * the marked parchment is inverted because markings can transfer to the baked meringues.

• 113g egg whites, room temperature
• pinch cream of tartar
• 113g granulated sugar
• 57g powered sugar, sifted

1. Place egg whites and cream of tartar in mixer bowl fitted with the whisk attachment.
2. Whip on medium speed until the mixture looks like cappucchino foam but does not yet form a peak.
3. With mixer running, rain in granulated sugar.
4. Increase speed to high and whip until the mixture is at stiff peaks - the arch of the peak will be at 12:00.
5. Fold in sifted powdered sugar, carefully, with a spatula. Fill piping bag and pipe nests.
6. Bake at 200 degrees for a minimum of 2 hours - they should feel crisp. They may take more time (10-12 more minutes). Store at room temperature in an airtight container. They will keep for 2 days, unless it is very humid.

Meringue Nests

Equipment: Stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, spatula, scale, piping tip fitted with and 805 or 806 tip. Quarter or half sheet pan lined with parchment paper.

Preheat oven 200 degrees, makes 6 2 1/2" wide nests (quarter sheet pan) *Recipe can be doubled to make 12 (1/2 sheet pan)

Pan prep: Using a 2 1/2" round cutter, trace 6 circles onto the parchment paper, flip over and place on sheetpan. * the marked parchment is inverted because markings can transfer to the baked meringues.

• 113g egg whites, room teperature
• pinch cream of tartar
• 113g granulated sugar
• 57g powered sugar, sifted

1. Place egg whites and cream of tartar in mixer bowl fitted with the whisk attachment.
2. Whip on medium speed until the mixture looks like cappucchino foam but does not yet form a peak.
3. With mixer running, rain in granulated sugar.
4. Increase speed to high and whip until the mixture is at stiff peaks - the arch of the peak will be at 12:00.
5. Fold in sifted powdered sugar, carefully, with a spatula. Fill piping bag and pipe nests.
6. Bake at 200 degrees for a minimum of 2 hours - they should feel crisp. They may take more time (10-12 more minutes). Store at room temperature in an airtight container. They will keep for 2 days, unless it is very humid. 

Bakers, I am sorry but I lost the adding the granulated sugar clip - but everything else is there - add the granulated sugar when the eggs whites are frothy like foam on a cappuccino. I am working hard to improve my videos - next time will be better.

Ready to assemble

Macerated Strawberries

Equipment: Bowl, spoon

• I pint strawberries, trimmed, washed and sliced (cut in half before slicing if the berries are large)
• 2 ounce granulated sugar
• 1 Tablespoon Orange Liqueur (optional)

1. Combine strawberries, sugar and optional orange liqueur. Combine well. Let sit in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Chantilly Cream

Equipment: Bowl, whisk or stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment

• 170g Heavy cream
• 2 Tablespoons (28g) powdered sugar, sifted
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Whisk cream, vigorously until it is as thick as yogurt. Add sugar and vanilla, whisk until it looks holds soft picks - do not over whip.

Assembly

1.  Fill meringues with berries and top with whipped cream. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Equipment: Bowl, spoon

• I pint strawberries, trimmed, washed and sliced (cut in half before slicing if the berries are large)
• 2 ounce granulated sugar
• 1 Tablespoon Orange Liqueur (optional)

1. Combine strawberries, sugar and optional orange liqueur. Combine well. Let sit in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Chantilly Cream

Equipment: Bowl, whisk or stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment

• 170g Heavy cream
• 2 Tablespoons (28g) powdered sugar, sifted
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Whisk cream, vigorously until it is as thick as yogurt. Add sugar and vanilla, whisk until it looks holds soft picks - do not over whip.

Assembly

1.  Fill meringues with berries and top with whipped cream. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Macaron Book Available!!!!!!!!!!!

Bakers! 

The macaron book is available today! It is on Amoretti.com. I am so grateful to Amoretti - they produced the book. It's so pretty.   www.Amoretti.com

There it is in the middle of this beautiful photograph. - they make the best almond meal too - I wrote the recipe that is on the bag. Photo credit: Stephanie at Amoretti

White Chocolate Raspberry Tart, Companion Recipe to Cocoa Episode

Raspberries work well - but other berries can also be used like strawberries, blueberries or blackberries. There has been a shortage of raspberries in Los Angeles for the past week. That is why this pretty photo is place holding for the finished tart photo. I hope you make this delicious tart (and use the berry of your choice) please post your photo. 

Hello Bakers,

The companion recipe to today's Ingredient Function Friday is a chocolate pate sucree made with dutch process cocoa powder. It makes enough dough for a 9" - 11" tart. If you make a 9" you will have a little dough let to roll out for cookies. This recipe has a little almond meal in it which makes it stable and adds a buttery almond flavor. 

Please watch the episode on cocoa powder. Click on the "Ingredient Function Friday" tab at the top of the page. Cocoa can be a challenging ingredient and what you need to know is covered in the clip. I hope you enjoy making this tart - it's a great excuse to break that tart pan out of the cupboard. The white chocolate pastry cream is delicious. There are two video tutorials on pastry cream in the recipe - there are a few points in the process where it can be challenging - but if you read through the recipe and then watch the clips it will become very clear.

Of course, if you have any questions, let me know. 

Happy Baking! Colette

Chocolate Almond Tart Dough (Yield) 1 9" - 11" tart or several mini tartlets - amount varies on the size if your pan.

Equipment: Stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, spatula, sifter or strainer

Ingredients:

Chocolate tart dough mise en place

• 223g All purpose flour
• 28g Dutch process cocoa powder
• 1/4 teaspoon Fine sea salt
• 113g Unsalted butter
• 85g Powdered sugar
• 28g Almond flour (meal)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 egg

1. Sift together flour, cocoa powder and salt together 2 times.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine butter, powdered sugar and vanilla. Beat on low speed for 1 minute and then medium for 2 - it should look smooth.

Smooth and still yellow in color - do not overmix

3. Add egg and mix for 1 minute on low speed and 2 minutes on medium speed.

Egg is added - scrape down

4. Add sifted dry ingredients all at once. Mix on low speed just until the flour disappears. Stop the mixer and scrape down if necessary. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for a minimum of 2 hours or overnight.

Chocolate pie dough - ready to chill out in the refrigerator.

Pastry Cream

Equipment: Medium saucepan, scale, whisk, spatula, 2 bowls, 1/4 sheet tray lined with plastic wrap or ice bath for cooling down the pastry cream.

• 13 oz milk (369g) (milk #1)
• 2 tsp.vanilla extract
• 2 oz sugar (57g)
• 1.5 oz. cornstarch (43g)
• 2 oz sugar (57g)
• 3 ounces milk (85g) (milk #2)
• 4 egg yolks
• 1 oz butter, soft (28g)
• 4 ounces, (113g) white chocolate chip or chopped white chocolate

1. There are two amounts of sugar and milk #1 in this recipe, this is correct.  Separate them.
2. Place milk in saucepan and pour in most of the vanilla/sugar mixture.
3. Bring the mixture to a low and boil.
4. While milk is heating, combine the cornstarch and remaining sugar together, add milk #2 and egg yolks.

5. Temper in half the hot milk and then quickly pour the egg/milk mixture back into the pot.

6. Using the whisk as spoon stir gently over medium heat and then as the mixture thickens – and whisk until smooth. 

7. Remove from heat. Add the butter and the white chocolate. 

 8. Pour on to lined sheet tray or place bowl on top of ice bath.  Keep plastic wrap on the surface of the pastry cream. If cooling over an ice bath make sure that your stir it every few minutes so that it cools down more quickly.

Finishing the Tart.

Components: Chocolate tart dough, 4 ounces white chocolate to be melted and spread on the bottom of the baked tart shell, pastry cream, 3  1/2 pints raspberries, blackberries, strawberries or blueberries. Apricot glaze: 

• 4 ounces (114 g) apricot jam, thinned, warmed

• Stand mixer with paddle attachment, or bowl and handheld mixer with beaters

and strained (Extra strained jam can be stored in Ingredients

• 4 ounces (114 g) almond paste • 3 ounces (85 g) sugar
• 3 ounces (85 g) unsalted butter • 2 eggs

1. Combine the pears, wine, sugar, and chosen
spices in a saucepan. Add enough water to cover
the pears and spices. Method

the refrigerator for future use)

1. Roll out and bake the crust. Take the dough out of the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature for 5 - 7 minutes to warm up. Sprinkle the work surface with flour, place dough on floured surface, sprinkle with flour and roll until the dough is about 1/8" thick. Give the dough a 1/4 turn every time you roll back and forth and make sure it is not sticking. It needs to be able to move at all times. Once the dough is rolled out, use the rolling pin to lift it up and over the pan, drop the dough over the pan and then carefully press the dough into the pan. The dough needs to be right up against the side of the pan. Remove any excess dough off the top with your thumb. Wrap and chill dough for 2 hours or overnight. A 9" tart pan fits into a gallon size Ziploc bag. I am all about using less plastic and reuse my ziplocs until they can no longer be used.

Rolling out dough, the beginning

This is how it should look before dropping it into the pan.

In the pan.

After chilling line the tart pan with a half sheet of parchment paper that has been crumbled up (this helps it conform to the dough) and fill with your baking beans. Then bake at 350 degrees for 22-25 minutes (place tart on a baking sheet) - check to make sure the sides are baked and then take the tart out of the oven, remove the beans and then put the tart back in the oven for 8-10 minutes to finish baking. The crust should look opaque and fully baked. 

Once tart is cooled, melt 3 ounces of white chocolate and the spread onto the bottom of the tart pan. This will act as a moisture barrier. A thin layer of raspberry jam can also be used.

White chocolate painted bottom

Then remove pastry cream from refrigerator, place in the mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and soften the pastry cream on low speed for 1 minute, then medium speed for 90 seconds. try not to over mix because the pastry cream can become too loose. It can also be softened in a bowl with a spatula. Spread on top of white chocolate - it should fill the tart.

Tart filled with white chocolate pastry cream

Decorate with raspberries (if they are available) or strawberries, blueberries, or blackberries. Then brush with apricot glaze made by: heating 6 ounces of apricot jam with 2 ounces of water until it comes to a boil, reduce to a simmer and let it liquify. Then cook gently until it has a light glaze consistency, strain and use. Leftover glaze can be stored in the refrigerator for several months.

Once filled with pastry cream the tart needs to be refrigerated. 

ingredient Function Friday - Crystallized Ginger!

Hello Bakers,

Today's Ingredient is Crystallized ginger - suggested by one of our bakers so saw our last episode on Facebook.  This is exciting stuff especially for those of you who love ginger.

One of our bakers, Laura wrote in and requested an episode on Crystallized Ginger. Now that was interesting - not an ingredient we use every day - perfect.

One thing she mention that was completely piqued my interest was that she mentioned that  a soapy after taste when she had used crystallized ginger. Wow! I had heard that about cilantro but what about ginger - well I did a little digging and yes - it is possible (although it happens very infrequently) that this can happen. You'll have to watch the episode for the big reveal on why ginger can leave a soapy after taste. (Now this is rare - I don't want to put you off ginger). Click on the Ingredient Function Friday tab on the top right corner of the screen to watch and learn.

For those of you who don't the pound cake without ginger is delicious just as it is - and you can customize it with grated citrus zest - or add chocolate chips, (3-4 ounces) toasted nuts - you can take part of the batter add 2-3 ounces of melted chocolate and create a marble poundcake.

if there is an ingredient that you want to learn more about please leave me a note in the comments below and I will add it to the list. 

Please bake this cake and let me know how you like it. Happy Baking! Colette

Ginger Pound Cake with Ginger Glaze

Ginger Pound Cake Mise en Place

Equipment: Stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, spatula, 8X4 loaf pan greased and lined with a parchment paper sling, scale, sifter, teaspoons

8 oz (227g) cake flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1/4 tsp salt

8 oz (227g) unsalted butter, slightly softened - leave out for 15 minutes - do not let it get too soft

6 oz  (170g) granulated sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

 3 large Eggs (153g)

1 1/2 ounces Crystallized Ginger, cut into small pieces

Oven: 350 degrees

8x4 loaf pan, greased and lined with parchment sling that extends 1” above top of pan.

Grease the parchment paper.

1. Sift the cake flour, baking powder, ginger and salt. Set aside.

2. Cream the butter until it no longer clings to the paddle about 1 minute.

3. Add the sugar and vanilla and beat on medium speed for 8-10 minutes. Set a timer - I find when timers aren't set, creamed batters are under creamed.

4. Stop the mixer and scrape down the bowl with a spatula at least twice during the 8-10 minutes. It should be really light.

Light and fluffy - stop the mixer and scrape down at least once

5. Add the eggs in 2 increments. Mix on low speed for 20 seconds, scrape down and then mix on medium speed for 25 seconds do this for each increment.

This is how it looks - you may think it looks broken but it's fine

6. Fold in the dry ingredients and crystallized ginger. Do not over mix.

Go ahead and add the ginger when the flour is almost mixed it.

7. Scrape the batter in the greased pan.

Batter in pan - ready to bake

8. Bake at 350.

9. Start checking in 30 minutes, the cake will not be done - it can take 45-50 minutes. But if you feel that it is over browning turn the oven down to 325. Once the cake has risen and somewhat set (after 35+ minutes) it is ok to turn down the oven. The cake is done when a cake tester or skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.

Ginger Syrup

Equipment: Small saucepan, whisk, strainer

• 3 ounces water
• 3 ounces sugar
• 1" piece of fresh ginger - peeled and roughly chopped

1. Combine water and sugar in small saucepan, whisk together and bring to a boil. Add the fresh ginger.
2. Turn off heat and let sit until cool. Strain and set aside.

This is a small amount of syrup so it won't take long for the sugar to dissolve - let it sit off heat while the cake is baking.

When cake comes out of the oven let sit in the pan for 5-10 minutes and then turn out onto a wire rack set on top of a baking sheet. Brush warm cake with warm glaze.  This is really delicious with a cup of tea or coffee.