Mocha Meringue Cups Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.
• Put 1/4 cup blanched almonds and 1 teaspoon sugar into a food processor and pulse until it resembles cornmeal; reserve. Finely chop the remaining almonds.
• In a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, beat egg whites and salt until very soft peaks have formed. In a small bowl, stir together the remaining 1/4 cup sugar and espresso powder. With the mixer running on low, slowly add in the sugar and the espresso powder, 1 tablespoon at a time, whipping just to the stiff peak stage, (do not overbeat). Gently fold in the reserved almond flour.
• With a large offset spatula, spread the meringue batter on the lined baking sheet in an even layer, about 1/2-inch thick. Sprinkle the finely chopped almonds and chocolate chips evenly over the surface of the meringue and bake for 1 hour. Turn the oven off, leaving the meringue in the oven to dry out further and cool for an additional 1 hour.
• Note: If meringue gets chewy, put it back into a 200 degree F oven for about 30 minutes, turn off the oven and let dry inside the oven while it cools.
• To serve, break the meringue into pieces. Leftover meringues can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature in a dry cool place for up to 3 days.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300 degrees, with racks in upper and lower thirds. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside. In a small bowl, whisk together sugar and cornstarch; set aside.
• In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat egg whites and salt on medium speed until frothy. Beating constantly, add sugar mixture 1 tablespoon at a time; beat until stiff, glossy peaks form, 6 to 8 minutes total (scrape down the bowl halfway through). Add espresso powder and cocoa; beat until well blended. With a rubber spatula, fold in chocolate chips.
• Drop batter by level tablespoons onto prepared baking sheets, about 1 inch apart. Bake until crisp, about 40 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through. Cool completely on sheets, about 20 minutes.

Steps:

• Take your eggs out of the fridge and allow them to come to room temperature.
• Make sure you have two oven racks in your oven. Preheat oven to 250°F.
• In a small bowl, mix vanilla and instant coffee.
• In large bowl (or your mixer's bowl) add egg whites, cream of tartar and salt. Beat on medium speed until the eggs are frothy.
• Increase speed slightly and add sugar gradually but steadily.
• Beat mixture until stiff peaks form. This should take about 10 minutes.
• Add vanilla/coffee mixture and mix until combined. Decrease speed to low and add cocoa gradually until just incorporated.
• Using a pastry bag or ziploc bag with a corner cut off, pipe meringue onto two parchment lined cookie sheets. The mounds should be no less than half an inch apart and should each be about an inch across.
• Bake for 30 minutes, then switch the two baking sheets from one rack to the other.
• Bake for another 20 minutes until the meringues are dry. Turn off the oven and leave it slightly open while the meringues crisp for about an hour.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.
• Put 1/4 cup blanched almonds and 1 teaspoon sugar into a food processor and pulse until it resembles cornmeal; reserve. Finely chop the remaining almonds.
• In a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, beat egg whites and salt until very soft peaks have formed. In a small bowl, stir together the remaining 1/4 cup sugar and espresso powder. With the mixer running on low, slowly add in the sugar and the espresso powder, 1 tablespoon at a time, whipping just to the stiff peak stage, (do not overbeat). Gently fold in the reserved almond flour.
• With a large offset spatula, spread the meringue batter on the lined baking sheet in an even layer, about 1/2-inch thick. Sprinkle the finely chopped almonds and chocolate chips evenly over the surface of the meringue and bake for 1 hour. Turn the oven off, leaving the meringue in the oven to dry out further and cool for an additional 1 hour.
• Note: If meringue gets chewy, put it back into a 200 degree F oven for about 30 minutes, turn off the oven and let dry inside the oven while it cools.
• To serve, break the meringue into pieces. Leftover meringues can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature in a dry cool place for up to 3 days.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 250°F. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper. Trace six 3-inch circles on each paper.
• Using electric mixer, beat first 3 ingredients to soft peaks. Gradually add sugar and beat to stiff glossy peaks. Transfer whites to pastry bag fitted with 1/4-inch plain tip. Beginning in the center of each circle, pipe concentric circles to fill traced circle. Bake until meringues are dry, about 2 hours.(Can be prepared 2 days ahead. Store in oven.)
• Gently spread 1/4 cup yogurt evenly on 6 meringues. Top with remaining meringues. Freeze until firm.
• Place cocoa and espresso in sieve. Lightly sprinkle over tops of meringue and serve immediately.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Place egg whites in a large bowl. In a small bowl sift coffee granules through a fine sieve to break up, pressing with a spoon as needed. Sift together 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar, cocoa and coffee., Add cream of tartar to egg whites; beat on medium speed until foamy. Gradually beat in sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating on high after each addition until sugar is dissolved. Continue beating until stiff glossy peaks form. Fold in coffee mixture., Cut a small hole in the tip of a pastry bag or in a corner of a food-safe plastic bag; insert a #11 round pastry tip. Add meringue; pipe 1-3/4-in. spirals 1 in. apart onto parchment-lined baking sheets., Bake meringues until set and dry, 12-15 minutes. Cool completely before removing meringues from paper., To assemble, spread about 1-1/2 teaspoons frosting onto the bottom of half of the meringues; cover with remaining meringues. Dust with additional confectioners' sugar.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300°F. Line heavy large baking sheet with parchment paper. Press brown sugar and cocoa powder through sieve into small bowl to remove any lumps; whisk to blend. Using electric mixer, beat egg whites, coarse salt, and cream of tartar in medium bowl until very soft peaks begin to form. With mixer running, gradually add sugar, then espresso powder; beat until medium peaks form. Beat in brown sugar mixture by tablespoonfuls. Continue beating until meringue is very stiff and glossy, 2 to 3 minutes. Fold in chopped pecans and chocolate chips, if desired. Drop mixture by rounded tablespoonfuls onto prepared sheet, spacing about 1 inch apart. Place 1 pecan half atop each meringue, pressing very lightly to adhere.
• Bake meringues until dry but still slightly soft when pressed with finger, about 25 minutes. Turn off oven. Cool meringues in oven with door closed until crisp, about 1 1/2 hours. DO AHEAD: Meringues can be made up to 1 day ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F.
• Beat egg whites and cream of tartar in large bowl with mixer on high speed until soft peaks form. Beat in coffee. Gradually add sugar, beating constantly until stiff peaks form.
• Add cocoa powder; mix well. Fold in chopped chocolate.
• Drop half the egg white mixture evenly into 9 mounds on each of 2 parchment-covered baking sheets, using about 1/4 cup egg white mixture for each mound.
• Bake, 1 baking sheet at a time, 18 to 20 min. or until tops are firm. Cool completely before removing cookies from baking sheet.

Steps:

• In a small mixing bowl, beat the egg whites, cream of tartar and salt on medium speed until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, on high until stiff peaks form. Spoon meringue into eight mounds on parchment-lined baking sheets. Shape into 3-in. cups with the back of a spoon. Bake at 275 degrees F for 45-50 minutes. Turn oven off; leave meringues in oven for 1 hour. Remove from the oven and cool on baking sheet. When completely cooled, remove meringues from the paper and store in an airtight container at room temperature.
• For filling, in a heavy saucepan, melt the chocolate chips, cream and coffee granules; stir until smooth. Remove from the heat; stir in vanilla. Transfer to a small mixing bowl; refrigerate until chilled. Beat until stiff peaks form. Immediately spoon into a pastry bag or plastic bag with a #20 star tip. Pipe filling into meringue cups. Refrigerate until serving.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300 degrees, with racks in upper and lower thirds. Line two baking sheets with parchment. Using a pencil, trace 2 1/2-inch circles, about 1 inch apart, on parchment to create templates; turn over parchment. In a small bowl, whisk together sugar and cornstarch.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk egg whites and salt on medium speed until frothy. Beating constantly, add sugar mixture 1 tablespoon at a time; beat until stiff, glossy peaks form, scraping down bowl halfway through, about 10 minutes. Sift cocoa and espresso powder on top and gently fold into batter in 4 or 5 additions.
• Transfer batter to a large piping bag fitted with a 3/4-inch round tip. Pipe in a circular motion, about 1 inch high, onto prepared baking sheets. Bake, rotating sheets halfway through, until meringues are crisp, about 50 minutes. Let cool completely on baking sheets, about 20 minutes.
• Scoop ice cream and place on the bottoms of half of the meringues; sandwich with remaining meringues. Serve immediately or cover and freeze for up to 5 days.

Steps:

• MAKE THE BAVARIAN CREME: Lightly oil a round, shallow casserole or bowl approximately 10 inches in diameter.
• Line it with a layer of plastic wrap large enough to overhang the edges.
• In a small cup, sprinkle the gelatin over 1/4 cup of the milk; set aside.
• In another small cup, stir the coffee into the cognac; set aside.
• In a saucepan, scald the remaining 1 cup milk.
• Meanwhile, whisk together the egg yolks, sugar and salt until light and fluffy.
• Gradually beat in the scalded milk.
• Return the mixture to the saucepan and stir constantly over moderate heat until thick enough to coat the back of the clean spoon. DO NOT ALLOW TO BOIL.
• Transfer custard to a large bowl and whisk in the reserved gelatin and coffee mixtures, beating to thoroughly dissolve the gelatin.
• Cool to room temperature, whisking vigorously every couple of minutes to prevent lumping.
• When the custard is cool but not set, whip the cream until almost stiff.
• Whisk a large spoonful of the cream into the custard, then gently fold in the remaining cream.
• Carefully pour the bavarian cream into the prepared plastic lined bowl.
• Refrigerate, covered until firm. (This may be made one day ahead.).
• MAKE THE HAZELNUT JAPONAISE: Preheat the oven to 250.
• Butter and flour a baking sheet, preferably nonstick, and trace a 10 inch circle onto it, using a cake pan or pot lid as a guide.
• Blend together the hazelnuts, 1/2 cup of the superfine sugar and the cornstarch; set aside.
• Beat the egg whites until foamy, then add the cream of tartar and continue beating until the whites form soft peaks.
• Beating constantly, gradually add the remaining 2 T. superfine sugar and continue to beat until the meringue is stiff and glossy.
• Lightly fold the hazelnut mixture into the meringue.
• Spread the meringue onto the 10 inch circle on the baking sheet.
• Bake for 45 minutes, or until the meringue is set but still somewhat soft and just beginning to brown lightly.
• Using a thin metal spatula, loosen the baked meringue layer from the baking sheet. ( the meringue may tear slightly, but it will not show.).
• If it is too fragile to remove from the sheet, cool it on its baking sheet set on a wire rack, and then loosen from the sheet.
• MEANWHILE, PREPARE THE CHOCOLATE GENOISE: Preheat a second oven, of you have one to 350; otherwise, when the meringue is done, raise the heat to 350.
• Lightly butter a round, flat pan at least 12 inches in diameter.
• Line the bottom of the pan with a circle of waxed paper or parchment.
• Lightly butter and flour the paper and sides of the pan.
• In a small saucepan, melt the butter over low heat.
• Skim off the foam carefully.
• Cool slightly.
• Into a small bowl, sift the flour and cocoa together.
• In a large bowl, beat the eggs and the granulated sugar until very light, foamy and almost tripled in volume.
• Add vanilla, then lightly but rapidly fold the flour-cocoa mixture into the eggs.
• When the ingredients are almost but not quite homogeneous, fold in the melted butter.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 10 to 14 minutes, or until the cake springs back when toughed gently.
• Remove from the oven and cool briefly in the pan.
• Invert a pie plate with slanted sides onto a cooling rack, then cover the pie plate with a kitchen towel.
• Lightly sprinkle the towel with confectioners sugar and invert the genoise onto the towel.
• Gently peel off the paper and allow the cake to cool.
• ASSEMBLE THE TORTE: Carefully transfer the japonaise to a serving platter.
• Equally carefully, invert the bavarian creme over the japonaise.
• Peel the plastic wrap off the bavarian and trim any ragged meringue edges off the japonaise.
• Top the bavarian with the genoise, pressing it into a dome shape if necessary.
• MAKE THE FROSTING: Whip the cream until thick but not stiff, then add the confectioners sugar, cocoa and vanilla.
• Whip unti quite stiff.
• Spread over the torte, flattening the top slightly.
• TO DECORATE THE CAKE: Using a swivel-bladed peeler, scrape the chocolate into long shavings.
• Lightly sprinkle the shavings over the torte and chill for a t least 2 hours.
• At serving time, dust lightly with confetioners sugar sprinkled through a small sieve.