Rosewater, Raspberry and White Chocolate Vacherin (Meringue Cake)

Can you believe this thing? It’s monstrously pretty I’m am a tiny bit concerned that I might have used up all my femininity in creating this tower of floral pinkness. Although, this is unlikely given that I am also excitedly considering knitting myself a jersey that looks very much like this vacherin (or perhaps it would make for a sensational hat).

It’s perfect for Mother’s Day, no?

Rosewater, Raspberry and White Chocolate Vacherin:

Ingredients:

• For the Meringue Layers

5 eggs

1 tbsp rosewater

280g icing sugar

• For the Filling

500ml whipping cream (holey moley!)

250g raspberries

2 tbsp raspberry jam

rosewater to taste (about a 1 tbsp)

150g white chocolate

• For the Pretty

The petals 2 food grade roses (some snipped fine, but the smaller petals left whole).

100g raspberries

Directions:

• Meringue

Preheat oven to about 130 Celsius

Beat the eggs white until stiff

Beat in half of the sugar 1tsp at a time

Beat in the rosewater 1tsp at a time

Fold in the remaining sugar

Line two baking sheets with baking paper.

Pipe the meringue mixture into the shape of 4 discs of about 17cm diameter onto a lined baking sheet (two per baking sheet). To make this easier you can trace the circles of this diameter onto the baking paper first and use this as your guide when you pipe.

Place both baking sheets into the oven for about and hour and fifteen minutes (until the centre of the disc is firm to the touch and the discs move easily off the paper). Rotate the position of the sheets half way through.

While the discs are cooling on a wire rack, melt the chocolate over a double boiler.

Once the chocolate has melted use the end of a spoon to dribble it over the tops of the discs (and to stick any broken bits back together).

• The Pretty Part One

Choose one of the meringue discs to be the top of your vacherin and scatter some of rose petals and some of the raspberries over the top of the white chocolate while it is still melted. (Remember to keep some petals and raspberries for the sides). Use the end of teaspoon to dribble a fine stream of white chocolate over the top of the scattered rose petals and raspberries and leave to set.

• Raspberry, Rosewater Cream

Whip the cream with the jam until slightly thickened.

Beat in rosewater 1 tsp at a time until it tastes rosy and lovely (I used about a tb sp)

Bash up the raspberries a bit (to release some of their colour) and fold them into the cream.

• Constructing the Tower

Choose a disc to be you base and place this onto your serving dish (you won’t want to move the meringue cake once it’s constructed). Spread a third of the cream on top, followed by a disc and then some more cream etc. (until you top the tower with your already decorated top meringue disc).

I only used 4 discs but they are so light you could easily go higher.

• Pretty Part Two: Final Touches

Place the remaining raspberries and petals around the sides of the vacherin (using the cream to hold them in place).

Now apologise to the world for creating something so monstrously pretty, tie your hair back with a pink ribbon and get stuck in.

Serve the cake within an hour of constructing it.

Advertisement

Privacy Settings