Hazelnut Baileys Meringue Cake Recipes

HAZELNUT & BAILEYS MERINGUE CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5. Line 2 x 20cm sandwich tins with foil, then lightly oil the foil. Whizz the nuts in a processor until finely ground.
• Whisk the egg whites in a bowl until they form stiff peaks. Whisk in most of the sugar, a spoonful at a time, until the mixture is stiff and glossy. Stir the rest of the sugar into the nuts, then fold into the meringue with the vinegar. Divide between the tins and level the tops.
• Bake for 40-45 mins until firm, then cool in the oven. When the meringues are cold, carefully peel off the foil.
• To serve, whisk the cream, icing sugar and Baileys together until softly stiff. Put one of the meringues, top-side down, on a plate, then spread with the cream and scatter over the raspberries. Put the other meringue layer on top and dust generously with icing sugar.

HAZELNUT MERINGUE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 190°C/Fan 170°C/gas 5. Lightly grease two 20cm sandwich tins and then line the bases with non-stick baking parchment. Place the hazelnuts on a baking sheet and put in the oven for about 10 minutes, then tip onto a clean tea towel and rub well together to remove the skins. (Some stubborn ones may need to go back into the oven but don't worry about getting every last bit of skin off, it's not necessary.) Grind the nuts in a food processor. Whisk the egg whites until stiff. Add the sugar, a teaspoonful at a time, whisking well between each addition. Whisk until the mixture is very stiff, stands in peaks, and all the sugar has been added. Whisk in the vanilla extract and wine vinegar then fold in the prepared nuts. Divide the mixture between the tins and level the surface with a palette knife. Bake for 30-40 minutes, but no longer. The top of the meringue will be crisp and the inside soft and marshmallow- like. Turn out of the tins and leave to cool on a wire rack. To make the filling, whisk the cream until thick. Use about two-thirds to sandwich the meringues together, along with two-thirds of the raspberries. Spread the remaining cream over the top, scatter on the remaining raspberries and dust with icing sugar. Serve with raspberry coulis, if you like. If you don't have sandwich tins, you can cook the mixture on two flat baking sheets, spread out into two circles. It won't look quite so neat, but it tastes the same! Walnuts can be used in place of the hazelnuts in the meringue. Choose a fruit to complement the walnuts, such as strawberries or ripe peaches in season.

CHOCOLATE AND HAZELNUT MERINGUE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-by-3-inch springform pan. Line bottom with parchment. Butter parchment, and sprinkle with flour; tap out excess. Set aside.
• Spread hazelnuts in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Toast until fragrant and skins start to crack, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from oven; rub vigorously with a clean kitchen towel to take off skins. Let cool; roughly chop. Set aside.
• Make cake batter: In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and brown sugar until pale and smooth. Add egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition, until mixture is light and fluffy. Add melted chocolate, vanilla, and rum, if using; beat until combined. Set aside.
• In a clean mixer bowl, combine 6 egg whites and salt; using the whisk attachment, beat on high speed until soft peaks form, about 2 minutes. Stir one-third of the egg whites into chocolate mixture. Fold in remaining beaten egg whites just until combined. Pour batter into prepared pan, and bake 25 minutes.
• Meanwhile, make meringue: Combine hazelnuts, chopped chocolate, and cornstarch in a small bowl, and set aside. Place remaining 4 egg whites and cream of tartar in a clean mixer bowl; using a clean whisk attachment, beat on high speed until frothy. With mixer running, slowly add superfine sugar; continue beating until stiff peaks form, about 8 minutes. Fold in hazelnut mixture.
• Remove cake from oven. Using an offset spatula, spread meringue mixture on top of cake, and return to oven. Bake until meringue is lightly browned and crisp, 25 to 30 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack; let stand 10 minutes. Run a knife around the edge of the cake to loosen, and release sides of pan. Let cool, about 30 minutes, before slicing and serving.

HAZELNUT MERINGUES WITH HAZELNUT PRALINE & CHOCOLATE SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 120C/100C fan/gas 1. For the meringues, whisk the egg whites with the lemon juice until soft peaks form. Add the caster sugar and continue whisking until stiff, add the icing sugar and ground nuts, then gently fold through until evenly combined. Line a baking tray with baking paper and pipe or spoon out rounds of meringue into 7cm discs. Bake for 1½-2 hrs until crisp outside but still soft in the centre. Leave to cool. You need 3 rounds per person. Leftovers can be kept in an airtight container for about 1 week.
• To make the hazelnut praline, warm a small heavy-based pan over a medium heat and cook the caster sugar until it melts and turns a rich caramel colour. Carefully swirl the hazelnuts around the pan (be careful, the sugar is very hot) and allow them to caramelise and brown - about 2 mins. Pour the mixture out onto a tray lined with baking paper. Leave to cool.
• Make the chocolate sauce by heating together 75ml water, the caster sugar and cocoa powder until boiling. Pour over the chocolate and whisk well until smooth.
• To serve, whisk the cream until soft peaks form. Finely chop the cooled praline by hand or in a food processor. Stir most of it through the whipped cream, setting a little aside. Place a meringue disc on each plate and top with a little of the cream. Add another disc, more cream, followed by the final disc. Top with icing sugar, cocoa powder and some of the reserved chopped praline, then spoon around some chocolate sauce