With Fourth of July just a few weeks away, we thought we’d offer up a color appropriate dessert. The fact is, Meringue Cake with Strawberries and Blueberries is so good, you probably shouldn’t wait that long. While local strawberries are still plentiful (at least here in the Northeast) and blueberries are cheap, make it now!
Meringue Cake with Strawberries and Blueberries is subtly irresistible. You serve everyone a nice little wedge. It starts off polite. There are a few quiet mms, and then few oohs. By then end, it’s full throttle OMGs. Dessert plates scraped clean, everyone wants just a little more. Forks start start creeping back to the cake plate. It’s very easy for meringue cake to serve just four.
Enjoy the weekend and we’ll be here on Monday morning with another irresistible recipe. This one from Gaby Dalkin‘s new book, Absolutely Avocados.
- ¾ cup confectioner’s sugar
- ⅓ cup plus 6 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided
- 2 teaspoons, plus 2 tablespoons cornstarch, divided
- 3 large egg whites, at room temperature
- ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
- 2 cups each: hulled and sliced strawberries and blueberries, plus a few extra for garnish
- 1 cup heavy cream
- Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 175 degrees. Cut three 8-inch parchment circles, crumple them, then smooth them out again and place them in a single layer on a large lip-less baking sheet.
- Whisk together confectioner’s sugar, ⅓ cup of the granulated sugar, and 2 teaspoons of the cornstarch in a small bowl; set aside.
- Beat egg whites and cream of tartar until they turn from foamy to white and beaters just start to leave a trail. On low speed, add sugar mixture, a heaping tablespoon at a time. Increase speed to medium-high and beat to the consistency of marshmallow cream, 2 to 3 minutes longer.
- Lightly flick water droplets onto the parchment circles. Spoon a portion of meringue onto each parchment circle. Use an off-set or rubber spatula to spread meringue over each circle.
- Set meringues in oven and let dry until completely crisp, 5 to 6 hours. Remove meringues from oven and peel off parchment.
- Meanwhile, bring strawberries and 3 tablespoons of sugar to boil in a medium saucepan. When mixture starts to simmer, whisk in 1 tablespoon cornstarch dissolved in 1 tablespoon of water. Continue to simmer until mixture thickens. Pour into a bowl and let cool completely. Repeat process with blueberries, remaining 3 tablespoons of sugar and 1 tablespoon of cornstarch dissolved in 1 tablespoon of water.
- When meringues are dry and berries are cool, whip cream to semi-firm peaks.
- To assemble, set a meringue circle on a cake stand. Spread with half the cream and drizzle with the strawberries. Repeat with another meringue circle, all but a dollop of cream, and the blueberries. Top with remaining disk, remaining dollop of cream, a fresh strawberry and a couple of fresh blueberries. Refrigerate until ready to serve, at least an hour and up to several hours. Slice and serve.
YES! Thank you for this! That would be MY errant fork, waiting for more 😉