Meringue layers:
4 Egg whites
1 pn Salt
1/4 ts Cream of tartar
1 ts Cider vinegar
1 ts Vanilla
1 c Superfine sugar
Filling and sauce:
6 oz Semi-sweet chocolate pieces
3 tb Water
3 tb Confectioner's sugar
3 c Heavy cream
1/2 ts Vanilla
1 pt Fresh strawberries; sliced
1 pt Strawberries, sliced; sugard
Recipe by: Vincent and Mary Price's "A Treasury of Reci
Preheat oven to 275 deg. In mixer, beat egg whites, salt,
cream of tartar, vinegar and vanilla until soft peaks form.
Gradually beat in sugar and continue beating until meringue
is stiff and glossy. Line baking sheets with parchment or
waxed paper. Trace three, eight-inch circles on paper.
Spread meringue evenly and equally over circles. Bake one
hour, until meringue becomes bisque colored. Then turn off
oven, open oven door and let meringues "rest" in oven
another 15 minutes. Remove from oven and carefully peel off
parchment or waxed paper. Put cake on racks to dry until
thoroughly cool.
Once cooled, meringues may be wrapped in saran and frozen.
I wrap each meringue in several saran layers, then stack
(gently!) in tupperware container for freezing. Remove from
freezer at least an hour before assembling.
FILLING AND SAUCE: Melt over hot water the chocolate bits
and water. When perfectly smooth, remove from heat and
cool, but don't let harden. Whip the heavy cream until
stiff, gradually add confectioner's sugar, then vanilla.
Slice two pints of strawberries: One is used between cake
layers, the other is sliced, sugared and refrigerated to
produce more juice. The sugared berries are served as a
sauce. Save several whole berries for garnish.
ASSEMBLEY: Place a meringe layer on a serving plate,
rounded side down. Spread a VERY THIN coating of chocolate
over it. GO EASY on chocolate ---too much will make it
impossible to cut cake! Top chocolate with a layer (about
3/4-inch thick) of whipped cream. Top cream with a layer of
sliced berries. Place a second layer of meringue on top of
this, and repeat filling. Top with final meringue, rounded
side up, and frost sides and top smoothly with remaining
whipped cream. Additional cream may be used to pipe a
design onto sides and top of cake.
REFRIGERATE AT LEAST FOUR HOURS or overnight. Garnish with
several whole strawberries and chocolate curls.
