Meringue Cake with Strawberry Cream

Meringues are one of my favourite types of cake, and honestly I could have them a few times a week. However, due to the high sugar and calorie content, I try to restrict myself – but every now and then I either make a meringue cake, or have it as a special treat.

Some time ago I had a wonderful strawberry meringue in a restaurant, and I really wanted to make it myself. I had made meringues before, so that part was not an issue; but the cream was a different story. I wanted it to taste of strawberries, but too many liquidized strawberries could make the cream too runny and the cake would lose its shape. I had to have a few trials before I managed to get the right proportion of ingredients to get a delicious cream – but all the effort was definitely worth the final result!

INGREDIENTS (for 6-8 portions):

Meringue:

4 egg whites,

200g caster sugar,

1 tsp white wine vinegar,

a pinch of salt.

Cream:

250g strawberries plus a few more for decoration,

6 tbsp icing sugar,

125g mascarpone cheese,

150ml double cream.

METHOD:

1. Take two pieces of baking paper and draw 20cm-diameter circle on each one; then put them on two baking trays.
2. Pre-heat an oven to 180 Celsius degrees.
3. Put the egg whites to a big, clean and dry bowl, add a pinch of salt and beat them with an electric mixer.
4. When they are stiff, start adding sugar (while you still beat the egg whites): add one tablespoon at a time and carry on beating for 20-30 seconds before you add another tablespoon of sugar.
5. When you have used all the sugar, keep on whisking for another 2-3 minutes, then add the vinegar and beat for another minute.
6. Divide the beaten egg whites into 2 portions and carefully spread them on the drawn circles, put both baking trays to the hot oven.
7. After 5 minutes decrease the temperature to 140 Celsius degrees and bake for 90 minutes; afterwards turn off the oven, open its doors slightly and keep it open for 5 minutes. Close the door and keep the meringues in the oven for a few hours or overnight.
8. Liquidize the strawberries, press them through a fine sieve, add the sugar and stir till the sugar dissolves.
9. Put the mascarpone to a bowl, beat with the electric mixer on low speed and add 14 tablespoons of liquidized strawberries*.
10. Whisk the double cream till stiff and gently stir with the mascarpone and strawberry mix till combined.
11. Put one meringue disc (the worse looking one) on a serving plate, spread the strawberry cream on it and place the second meringue carefully on top, decorate. If you prefer, you may keep some of the cream and use it to decorate the top of the cake.
12. Keep refrigerated till needed.

* You may end up with more liquidized strawberries then needed. However you should add only 14 tablespoons, otherwise the cream might be too runny.