Meringue Napoleons With Lime Ice Cream And Blackberries Recipes

MERINGUE NAPOLEONS WITH LIME ICE CREAM AND BLACKBERRIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 175°F and line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. Make a template for meringues. First, trace a 5-inch square from cardboard and cut to size. Then trace a 3-inch square in center, and cut out with X-Acto or utility knife.
• Beat whites with salt in a bowl with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until they just hold soft peaks. Gradually add half of sugar, beating at high speed, and continue to beat until whites hold stiff, glossy peaks. Fold in remaining sugar gently but thoroughly.
• Spread about 1 teaspoon meringue onto corners of each piece of parchment and turn paper over, pressing on corners to adhere parchment to baking sheets.
• Starting in 1 corner, place template flat against 1 baking sheet and spoon a heaping tablespoon meringue into center. Holding template down firmly, spread meringue evenly with offset spatula to fill opening, then gently lift template straight up from sheet to make a clean edge. Form 17 more meringues in same manner (9 per sheet), scraping excess meringue from template as necessary. Discard any leftover meringue.
• Bake in upper and lower thirds of oven until dry to the touch, very pale, and crisp, about 1 1/4 hours. Cool meringues on sheets 5 minutes, then carefully peel meringues from parchment and transfer to racks to cool.
• Purée berries with sugar (to taste) in a blender or food processor, then force through a fine sieve into a bowl to remove seeds.
• Sprinkle 6 meringue squares with confectioners sugar. Put 1 unsugared meringue square on each of 6 plates and top with small scoops of ice cream and berries, then cover with a sugared meringue square. Spoon a dollop of whipped cream onto each napoleon and grate a bit of lime zest over top. Divide sauce among plates.

LIME ICE CREAM

Steps:

• Blend zest and 1/2 cup sugar in a food processor 30 seconds, then stir together with cream and milk in a heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, and remove from heat. Steep, covered, 30 minutes.
• Bring remaining 1/2 cup sugar and 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons lime juice to a boil in a 2-quart heavy saucepan, stirring until sugar is dissolved, then boil, swirling pan occasionally, until syrup just begins to turn very pale golden. Remove from heat and whisk in steeped cream.
• Whisk yolks with salt in a large bowl and add cream mixture in a slow stream, whisking. Return to saucepan and cook over moderately low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until custard coats back of spoon and thermometer registers 170°F (do not let boil).
• Pour through a very fine sieve into a clean bowl and cool, stirring occasionally. Stir in remaining 1/4 cup lime juice and chill custard, covered, until cold, at least 3 hours.
• Freeze custard in ice cream maker. Transfer ice cream to an airtight container and put in freezer to harden.