Walnut Meringue Layers Recipes

WALNUT MERINGUE LAYERS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Line 3 baking sheets with parchment. Using a cake pan or a ruler, trace a 9-inch square on each piece of parchment.
• Whisk walnuts, 3/4 cup superfine sugar, the confectioners' sugar, and salt.
• With an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat egg whites on medium-high speed until soft peaks form. Gradually add remaining 1/4 cup superfine sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until stiff peaks form. Gently fold in walnut mixture with a spatula. Spread batter evenly onto traced squares on parchment, and smooth tops.
• Bake for 2 1/2 hours. Turn off oven, and let cool in oven until completely dry, about 75 minutes.
• Carefully peel meringue layers from parchment, and let cool completely on wire racks.

AUNT GRETA'S WALNUT MERINGUES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 300 degrees F.
• Whip the egg white with a whip attachment until stiff.
• Add the sugar, cinnamon, and salt and continue whipping until stiff and glossy. Fold in the walnuts.
• Drop by spoonfuls onto a parchment lined sheet pan and bake 35 to 40 minutes. Cool and remove from the pan. Store in an airtight container.

WALNUT BLITZ TORTE

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, combine sugar and cornstarch. Stir in milk until smooth. Cook and stir over medium-high heat until thickened and bubbly. Reduce heat to low; cook and stir 2 minutes longer. Remove from the heat. Stir a small amount of hot filling into egg yolk; return all to the pan, stirring constantly. Bring to a gentle boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat; stir in vanilla. Cover and refrigerate., Meanwhile, in a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg yolks and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture alternately with milk and mix well. Spread into two greased and floured 9-in. round baking pans; set aside., In a small bowl, beat egg whites on medium speed until foamy. Gradually beat in sugar, a tablespoon at a time, on high until stiff glossy peaks form and sugar is dissolved. Fold in 1 cup nuts. Spread meringue evenly over batter. Sprinkle with remaining nuts. , Bake at 325° for 35-40 minutes or until meringue is browned and crisp. Cool on wire racks for 10 minutes (meringue will crack)., Carefully run a knife around edge of pans to loosen. Remove to wire racks; cool with meringue side up. To assemble, place one cake with meringue side up on a serving plate; carefully spread with custard. Top with remaining cake. Refrigerate until serving.

WALNUT MAPLE TORTE WITH MAPLE MERINGUE FROSTING

Steps:

• Make cake layers:
• Preheat oven to 350° F. and butter and flour two 8-inch round cake pans, knocking out excess flour.
• On a baking sheet toast walnuts in middle of oven until 1 shade darker, about 8 minutes, and cool. In a food processor grind walnuts fine.
• Into a bowl sift together flour, baking powder, and a pinch salt. In a small cup stir together espresso powder and water. In a large bowl with an electric mixer beat together butter and sugar until light and fluffy and add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in flour mixture, espresso, walnuts, and oil until just combined.
• Spoon batter into cake pans, smoothing tops, and bake in middle of oven about 25 minutes, or until pale golden and a tester comes out clean. Cool cake layers in pans on a rack 15 minutes. Run a thin knife around edges of pans and invert cake layers onto rack to cool completely.
• In a small bowl beat together cream cheese and 2 tablespoons maple syrup until smooth.
• Assemble torte:
• Arrange 1 cake layer on an ovenproof serving plate and with a pastry brush gently brush top with 1 1/2 tablespoons maple syrup. Spread cream cheese mixture evenly onto layer and top with remaining layer. Brush top of torte with remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons maple syrup. Torte may be prepared up to this point 2 days ahead and chilled, covered. Bring torte to room temperature before proceeding.
• Make frosting:
• Let whites stand at room temperature 1 hour. In a 1-quart heavy saucepan bring maple syrup to a boil over moderate heat and simmer until a candy thermometer registers 235° F. (be careful it doesn―t bubble over).
• While maple syrup is simmering, in bowl of a standing electric mixer beat whites with cream of tartar and a pinch salt until they just hold stiff peaks. Add hot maple syrup in a stream, beating until meringue is thickened and glossy, 1 to 2 minutes.
• Preheat broiler.
• Immediately frost torte with a narrow metal spatula, mounding extra meringue on top and drawing it up with a fork to form peaks (see photograph, page 111). Broil torte about 4 inches from heat until tops of peaks are pale golden, about 30 seconds. Let torte stand at room temperature 15 minutes before serving.