A luxurious Mixed Berry Meringue Cake. Four layers of Almond and Amarettini meringues filled with fresh cream, crushed Amarettini biscuits, and fresh berries.
Updating this post reminded me of how much fun it was to create the original recipe in 2017. I suggest you read through the recipe to get a good idea of the stages that you need to work.
How to Make Meringue Layers
To make the layers for this Mixed Berry Meringue Cake, begin by drawing four 20cm diameter circles on to baking parchment. Turn the paper over to avoid the pencil marks from baking into the meringues, then place on baking trays.
Preheat the oven to 140 deg C. Using an electric mixer, whisk the egg whites until soft peaks form. Sieve together the icing sugar and cornflour. Keep the mixer going, add a tablespoon at a time to the whisked egg whites, until well incorporated and stiff peaks are formed.
Fold in the ground almonds and the blitzed amarettini biscuits, being careful not to lose any volume of air.
Put the meringue mix into a disposable piping bag, snipping the end to create an opening of 1cm. Start by piping a few spots of meringue under the baking parchment to help it stick to the baking sheet.
Beginning at the inside edge of the circles, pipe the mixture onto the baking parchment until you have filled each of the circles completely. If you don’t have any disposable piping bags, spread the meringue evenly with a palette knife to a height of approx 1cm.
Bake for 30 – 35 minutes until the meringues are crisp and slightly golden. Turn the oven off and leave the door open slightly to allow the meringues to dry out further and cool down completely. This could take an hour or two.
Building the Meringue Cake
When you are ready to serve peel off the baking parchment from the meringue layers. At this stage they can be carefully wrapped in fresh baking parchment and kept in an air tight container for a day or two until needed. If you leave them any longer, the sugar may start to weep out of the meringue, which can look a little unsightly.
Whisk the cream until soft peaks are formed, place one meringue layer onto a plate or cake stand. Spread a quarter of the whipped cream evenly on top.
Scatter a quarter of the amarettini biscuits over the cream, followed by a quarter of the berries.
Complete the process three more times finishing off with the berries piled high on top. If you have any leftovers, keep in the fridge for a couple of days but you may find that the Meringue Layers have softened a little .
Tips and Faq's for making a Meringue Cake
- Don’t over mix - When you add the ground almonds and amarettini biscuits don't overmix the meringue, as you could lose some of the volume.
- Whipping the cream - Don't over whip the cream or it will become grainy and turn to butter. Try using Whipping Cream as an alternative to Double Cream.
The meringue will soften very quickly once you start to add the fruit and cream. It's best to assemble just before serving. You can keep any leftovers in the fridge for up to 48 hours.
The uncooked raw meringue should not be eaten as it contains raw egg whites.
More Recipes using Fresh Fruit
Here are just a few cake recipes using fresh fruits
- Vanilla Bundt Cake with a Blueberry Sauce
- Strawberry Butterfly Cakes
- Pear Upside-Down Cake
- Easy Apple Cake Recipe
Mixed Berry Meringue Cake
INGREDIENTS
For the meringues
- 10 medium egg whites
- 300 grams icing sugar sieved
- 200 grams ground almonds
- 50 grams amarettini biscuits finely blitzed
- 50 grams cornflour sieved
Filling and topping
- 600 ml double cream or whipping cream
- 50 grams amarettini biscuits lightly crushed
- 1 kg fresh mixed berries
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 140 deg C Conventional oven.
- Draw four 20cm circles on to baking parchment. Turn the paper over to avoid the pencil marks from baking into the meringues, then place on baking trays.
- Using an electric mixer, whisk the egg whites until soft peaks form.
- Sieve together the icing sugar and cornflour.
- Keep the mixer going, gradually adding the icing sugar and cornflour, a tablespoon at a time until well incorporated and stiff peaks are formed.
- Fold in the ground almonds and the blitzed amarettini biscuits, being careful not to lose any volume of air.
- Put the meringue mix into a disposable piping bag, snipping the end to create an opening of 1cm. Start by piping a few spots of meringue under the baking parchment to help it stick to the baking sheet.
- Beginning at the inside edge of the circles, pipe the mixture onto the baking parchment until you have filled each of the circles completely. If you don’t have any disposable piping bags, spread the meringue evenly with a palette knife to a height of approx 1cm.
- Bake for 30 – 35 minutes until the meringues are crisp and slightly golden. Turn the oven off and leave the door open slightly to allow the meringues to dry out further and cool down completely. This could take an hour or two.
- When completely cold peel off the baking parchment. At this stage they can be carefully wrapped in fresh baking parchment and kept in an air tight container for a day or two until needed. If you leave them any longer, the sugar may start to weep out of the meringue, which can look a little unsightly.
- Whisk the cream until soft peaks are formed. Place one meringue layer onto a plate or cake stand, spreading a quarter of the whipped cream evenly on top.
- Scatter a quarter of the amarettini biscuits over the cream, followed by a quarter of the berries.
- Complete the process three more times finishing off with the berries piled high on top. Any leftovers will keep in the fridge for up to 48 hours.
Notes
TIPS AND FAQ’S FOR MAKING A MERINGUE CAKE
- Don’t over mix – When you add the ground almonds and amarettini biscuits don’t overmix the meringue, as you could lose some of the volume.
- Whipping the cream – Don’t over whip the cream or it will become grainy and turn to butter. Try using Whipping Cream as an alternative to Double Cream.
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