Meringue has only one drawback - it is too sweet. Therefore, combining dark chocolate and sweet meringue in one cake is a great solution. The result is a balanced and unusual taste. Offer chocolate meringue to those who did not like these cakes because they were cloying, and you will see how this person’s opinion changes in the opposite direction!
I bring the ingredients for the minimum portion (it turns out 4 large meringues the size of half a palm:
- Whites of two eggs (I use medium sized eggs, C1, total weight 130-140 g)
- Sugar (take the finest one you have) - 100 g
- Dark chocolate (with at least 70% cocoa content) - 75 g
For these cakes, use only dark chocolate with a cocoa content of at least 70%; chocolate meringues cannot be made with milk.
How to cook:
First, melt the chocolate in the usual way. I’ve talked about my version many times, but I’ll repeat it in detail step by step.
Break the chocolate into pieces and place in a bowl with a heatproof bottom.
Bring water to a boil in a saucepan (you need to pour 2-3 fingers thick). Remove from heat and place a bowl of chocolate on top of the saucepan or saucepan.
Cover with a lid to create the right temperature to melt the chocolate.
Set aside for 5-7 minutes. All we have to do is stir the finished product with a spatula.
There is another “lazy” way to melt chocolate: crush the bar into small pieces with a knife (the smaller the better), put it in a plastic bag or pastry bag. Tie the edge and place it in hot water for 5-7 minutes. Then all that remains is to cut off the bottom edge of the bag and squeeze the chocolate into the meringue.
Whisk egg whites with sugar
To prepare meringue, we need two whites from medium-sized eggs (C1) and 100 g of sugar.
Carefully separate the whites from the yolks so that not a drop of yolk gets into the protein mass (otherwise it will be more difficult to beat them). You also need to make sure that the bowl for beating the whites is perfectly clean, without a drop of oil or fat (to be on the safe side, it is recommended to wipe the clean bowl with lemon peel so that the acid breaks down any possible fat).
The yolks can be used in or in a yolk sponge cake recipe.
We begin to beat the whites at low speed, gradually increasing it. The protein mass should turn from transparent to foamy.
After the whites have foamed, we begin to add granulated sugar in a thin stream (or one tablespoon at a time). To make it easier for the sugar to dissolve, beat the whites at room temperature.
With each passing minute, the protein mass will become thicker, the whisks will begin to leave a mark on the surface, and grains of sugar will visually almost disappear.
The power of my hand mixer is 350 W, it takes me 7-10 minutes for perfectly whipped whites with sugar (depending on whether the whites are warmed or not). If you have a stand mixer, it will take much less time (3-5 minutes), but if you have a hand mixer with a lower power, it may take longer. Focus on the consistency of the protein: when turning the bowl upside down, the mass should be motionless (if it creeps down, it means you need to beat further). Another signal that it is enough to beat is the peaks on the whisk and the surface of the protein mass (if you build a “snowdrift”, it will not settle or collapse).
Pour melted chocolate into the finished whites in a random stream, trying to get it evenly over the entire surface.
Using a fork or spoon (not a mixer), stir this mass (only 2-3 movements, no more). Our task is to make neat marble patterns on a white background, and not a homogeneous chocolate mass. If desired, this can be done using a pastry bag and nozzle.
Spoon the meringue onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper (or a silicone mat).
Place the chocolate meringues in a preheated oven at 130 ºC with convection. Immediately reduce to 100 ºС and dry for 1.5-2 hours. The cooking time for the meringue will directly depend on the size of the cakes, the power and features of your oven. The finished meringues are easily separated from the baking sheet, look dry, without shine, and a dull sound is heard when tapped on the surface. After 2 hours, I leave the meringues in the oven until they cool completely.
Ready-made cakes are very good for tea, coffee or as an original decoration for cakes!
Bon appetit!
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Protein cakes have gained immense popularity due to their unusually light, crumbly structure, excellent taste and unsurpassed appearance. Meringues will look good on a wedding table, especially if it is at an important reception at the embassy, at a children's party, or at a youth party.
You can also make cakes from homemade meringue, filling them with various types of cream, decorating them with fruits and berries, adding cocoa, coffee, chocolate chips, coconut and nuts.
But many housewives do not take up the preparation of meringues, because they believe that making homemade meringue- the pinnacle of culinary art.
Is this true? How difficult is it to make meringues? Why do some housewives not whip the cream into a thick foam? Why do meringues sometimes turn out rubbery, like Taffy candy?
If you follow all the rules (use only fresh eggs, beat until the sugar is completely dissolved, bake at the recommended temperature), you will see how easy it is to make meringues. Well, since our site is exclusively about chocolate, we will cook meringue with chocolate.
Ingredients for the meringue recipe:
- 4 squirrels;
- 1 glass of sugar;
- 2 tbsp. starch.
Ingredients for chocolate cream:
- 1 cup cream (10% fat);
- 0.5 tbsp. Sahara;
- 2 tbsp. flour;
- 3 yolks;
- 50 grams of chocolate.
For decoration - orange, mint.
Homemade meringue: recipe
1. Turn on the oven (100 degrees).
2. Beat the whites into a dense mass and start adding sugar to the dough.
3. Sugar must be poured into the protein mass in parts and whipped until dense peaks form.
4. Pour starch into the dough, mix the dough with gentle movements.
5. Using a pastry syringe, form small cakes and make sides along their edges.
6. Cook homemade meringues according to the recipe for at least 1.5 hours.
Chocolate cream. Recipe:
1. Pour 1/2 cup of cream into a saucepan. Break the chocolate and place the chocolate mixture on the stove to heat up.
2. Mix the dry ingredients: sugar, vanillin, flour, add yolks and cream to them. Beat the mixture thoroughly with a whisk.
3. After the chocolate has completely dissolved and the cream has boiled, begin to carefully add the second half of the cream into the chocolate mass.
4. Mix the buttercream until it acquires a dense structure.
5. Remove the pan from the stove and leave the cream to cool.
Fill homemade meringues with chocolate cream.
Garnish with orange slices and a sprig of mint.
So, let's start making meringue with cocoa.
We will need:
- 2 squirrels
- Sugar to taste
- 3 teaspoons cocoa
Seeing such a short list of ingredients, you were probably delighted with surprise - that means the dish - meringue with cocoa It will be easy to prepare.
And you are absolutely right.
But let’s get to the point, don’t waste time, otherwise your mouth will start watering.
The first thing we need is egg whites.
Separate the whites from the yolks, pour the whites into a separate bowl. Using a mixer or beat the whites until foamy. Of course, you can beat the egg whites by hand, but using a mixer is faster and more convenient.
Add sugar to the whites (add a little at a time). Whisk the mixture thoroughly again.
While whisking continuously, add cocoa. Pour cocoa into the mixture in small portions (very tiny). whisking constantly. Otherwise, you can ruin the consistency.
And now, as soon as you see a homogeneous, well-foamed, stable mass in the bowl, you can put the mixer aside.
Prepare a baking sheet and parchment paper. Grease parchment paper with vegetable oil. Well, now use a tablespoon (or a pastry bag) to spread the resulting mass onto a baking sheet.
Bake in the oven over the lowest heat (you can also open the oven slightly during the baking and drying process). We should not so much bake the meringue as dry it. They must dry for at least an hour.