2 tb Butter or margarine
1/4 c All purpose flour
1 c (4 ounces) almonds (I use
-unblanched)
1 tb Cornstarch
1 c Superfine or verifine sugar,
-divided (3/4 cup and 1/4
-cup)
6 lg Egg whites, room temperature
1/4 ts Cream of tartar
1/8 ts Salt
1/8 ts Almond extract
2 1/2 ts Pure vanilla extract,
-divided (1 teaspoon and 1/2
-tablespoon)
1/2 c Red currant jelly
1/4 c Granulated sugar (depending
-upon sweetness of berries)
-(up to 1/2)
2 tb Water
1 qt (20 ounces) strawberries,
-hulled and halved
1 1/2 c (3/4 pint) heavy cream, cold
3 tb Powdered sugar (preferably
-10X)
This is delicious and impressive, yet very easy and fail-safe to prepare.
Although mocha buttercream is more traditional (and can obviously be
substituted), this is the filling most popular with my family and friends.
I hope that you will enjoy it as much as everyone else does.
1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Spread 1 tablespoon butter over each of 2
cookie sheets. Sprinkle each with 2 tablespoonsful flour. Using knife with
an 8-inch round cake pan as a guide, trace two circles onto each cookie
sheet. Set aside.
2. Spread almonds in ungreased 13x9x2-inch baking pan. Place on center
shelf of oven and bake until golden (about 15 minutes). Remove from oven
and let cool slightly. Stir in cornstarch and 1/4 cup of the superfine
sugar. Set aside. Lower oven temperature to 250 degrees F.
3. Pour egg whites into small mixing bowl. Using electric mixer or wire
whisk, beat until frothy. Add cream of tartar and salt. Continue beating
until soft peaks form when beaters are lifted.
4. Add remaining 3/4 cup superfine sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time. Continue
beating until mixture is stiff but not dry (about 5 minutes with mixer).
Stir in almond extract and 1 teaspoon of the vanilla. Gently fold in almond
mixture,
1/4 cup at a time.
5. Using a rubber spatula, spread meringue 1/8-inch thick onto the 4
circles you traced on the cookie sheets. Place cookie sheets on center
shelf of oven and bake until firm, dry, and pale golden (about 1 hour).
IMMEDIATELY loosen each meringue with a spatula and transfer it to a wire
rack. Set aside.
6. Pour jelly, granulated sugar, and water into a small saucepan. Cook over
low heat until melted. Cool slightly. Gently stir in berries. Set aside.
7. In small mixing bowl, beat together cream, powdered sugar, and remaining
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla until consistency of whipped cream.
8. Place one meringue on a cake plate. Spread with 1/4 of the whipped
cream. Spread 1/4 of the berries over the cream. Repeat with remaining
layers, ending with top meringue, spread with whipped cream, topped with
circle of berries.
(Serves 8 – 10)
N. B. Superfine or verifine sugar is sold in most American supermarkets (at
least here in the northeast). It comes in boxes very similar to those for
powdered sugar. If you cannot find it (or prefer not to purchase it), you
could either blend granulated sugar for a second or two in the blender
(until it looks like very fine granulated sugar), or substitute granulated
sugar. I, myself, prefer to use the superfine sugar, since it is easier to
incorporate into the meringue. However, this is by now means essential.
Yields
1 Servings