Cocoa Meringue Cake with Raspberry Sauce
Submitted by Gdear
Cocoa meringue cake: two crisp cocoa-free meringue disks sandwiched with a mocha-chocolate filling and served in a pool of bright raspberry sauce. An elegant, low-fat dessert showpiece.
YIELD
1 CakePREP
30 minCOOK
4 hrsREADY
5 hrsThis is a French-leaning patisserie-style dessert, two crisp meringue discs glued together with a mocha-chocolate custard filling, cut into wedges and served in a vivid red raspberry sauce. The contrast of crisp, soft, and tart in one bite is why this dessert gets so much applause for how few ingredients it needs.
The meringues bake at just 200°F (93°C) for a full four hours. That’s not a typo, it’s a drying process more than a baking one. The low oven dries the whipped whites without browning them, producing the snow-white, shatter-crisp texture French patissiers call vacherin. Rushing this with higher heat gives you golden, sticky meringues that lose their crackle.
Lemon juice in the whites is the insurance policy. Its acid stabilizes the egg protein structure so the meringue holds its peaks through the sugar addition.
The cocoa filling gets a surprise boost from a teaspoon of instant coffee, not enough to taste like mocha, just enough to deepen the chocolate and give it that professional restaurant flavor edge.
Chef Tips
- Start with room-temperature egg whites, they whip to much higher volume than cold ones.
- Add sugar one spoonful at a time, dumping it in all at once collapses the meringue.
- Make meringues up to a week ahead and store in a cardboard box (not airtight), they attract moisture and soften in sealed containers.
- Strain the raspberry sauce through a fine sieve to remove seeds for a silky, professional finish.
Variations
- Swap raspberry sauce for a strawberry or mixed-berry coulis for a different seasonal angle.
- Add a tablespoon of Chambord or framboise to the raspberry sauce for a boozy, adult-leaning version.
- Top each wedge with fresh berries and a mint sprig for visual pop and a fresh bite.
Ingredients
Directions
Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Cover two cookie sheets with foil.
Draw two 9-inch circles on foil. Whisk the egg whites and 1 teaspoon lemon juice until they hold soft peaks.
Add ¾ cup of sugar, a spoonful at a time, and beat constantly until the sugar is incorporated and the meringue is stiff and shiny.
Divide the meringue between the two circles, spreading to edges.
Bake for 4 hours then turn off oven. Leave in oven until meringues are cold.
You can make these ahead of time and store in cardboard box.
Combine the margarine and cocoa in a saucepan and cook over low heat for 3 minutes, stirring constantly.
Do not let burn. Pour hot milk into cocoa mixture, stirring constantly with a wire whisk.
Add ½ cup of the sugar and the coffee granules and simmer, stirring constantly, until thick.
Remove from heat and add vanilla and mix well. Allow sauce to cool then refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
When ready to use, beat mixture until fluffy and lighter in color.
Spread on one meringue and sandwich the two meringues together.
Sauce: Purée raspberries in a food processor or blender. Strain into a bowl and add remaining ¼ cup sugar and teaspoon of lemon juice.
To serve: Cut meringue cakes into wedges and spoon a scant 2 tablespoons of raspberry sauce over each wedge. Garnish as desired.
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