Vacherin With Whipped Cream And Mixed Berries Recipes

BERRY VACHERIN

Steps:

• MAKE THE PAVLOVA AND THE CREAM:.
• Preheat the oven to 200ºF with two racks centered.
• Trace a 9-inch circle on each of 2 pieces of parchment paper.
• Turn over, and use each piece to line a baking sheet.
• Set aside.
• Place egg whites in the clean bowl (copper, if possible) of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.
• Beat on high speed until soft peaks form, about 2 minutes.
• Add 1/4 cup granulated sugar; beat to combine.
• Gradually add remaining 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, until whites are very stiff and glossy.
• Add 1 teaspoon vanilla; beat just until combined.
• Divide batter between the traced circles, and use an icing spatula or rubber spatula to spread evenly to the edges of the circles.
• Place baking sheets on separate racks in the oven, and bake about 3 1/2 hours, switching the upper and lower sheets every 30 minutes.
• When fully cooked, the meringues should be white and dried and crisp on the outside, yet soft and somewhat chewy inside; test by tapping the center lightly with a fork.
• Remove from oven, and let cool completely on baking sheets.
• Combine cream, remaining 1 teaspoon vanilla and 2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar in a chilled metal bowl; whip until cream is stiff but soft.
• Place one meringue on a serving plate, and spread 3/4 of the whipped cream over it.
• Scatter half of the berries over, and place the second meringue on top.
• Spoon remaining cream onto the center of the meringue, and heap remaining berries on top.
• Dust the top with confectioners' sugar.
• Slice the vacherin with a thin sharp knife, and serve immediately with red raspberry sauce on the side.
• RED RASPBERRY SAUCE:
• Combine raspberries, sugar, lemon juice, and salt in a small nonreaactive saucepan over low heat.
• Cook until berries release their juice an just start to break down, about 5 minutes.
• Use a rubber spatula to press berries through a fine sieve; discard solids.
• Let cool, and refrigerate until ready to use.

VACHERINS

Steps:

• Beat the whites until foamy then add the sugar and continue whipping until stiff and glossy, about 3 minutes. Add the powdered sugar and whip very briefly just to incorporate. Spoon the meringue into a piping bag fitted with a small (1/4-inch) plain tip and pipe onto a parchment paper lined sheet pan. Make a small round flat base 1/2-inch in diameter, then pipe a ring of meringue at the edge of the base and spiral up to make it two rows high. Continue making vacherins in rows on the sheet pan. Dry them out on the top of an oven that has been on, or preheat the oven to 300 degrees, then turn it off and place the vacherin meringues in it 5 minutes later. Leave them over night to dry out until crisp. Using a pastry bag, pipe whipped cream in the center and top each one with a raspberry.