This recipe makes a wonderful light but rich dessert for a special meal. Best eaten the same day but even better made a few hours ahead and allowed to stand. This gateaux can be made over a few days as the meringue element can be stored in an airtight tin and the gateaux assembled on the day needed. It is a more advanced recipe for a confident cook.
Link to measurement conversion chart
This recipe uses 4 egg whites and will serve 6 – 8 people depending upon how generous you want to be.
Ingredients
Cake
- 4 egg whites
- 185g Caster sugar
- 250g Plain flour
Filling and Topping
- 15 floz Double or whipping cream
- 3tsp Framboise
- 250g fresh raspberries, saving a few for decoration
- A few drops of red food colour – optional
You will also need
- 2x 20cm loose bottomed cake tins. If you have 4 you can bake in 1 batch otherwise you will need to bake in 2 batches
- A large mixing bowl
- a hand or electric whisk
- a piping bag and star nozzel for decorating
Method
Make the meringue layers
- Preheat the oven to 160c, grease and line the base and sides of the baking tins
- Put the egg whites into a large bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form then slowly add the sugar, a tablespoon at a time, until the sugar has all been added and the whites have a stiff glossy texture.
- Gently fold in the flour until just combined
- Divide the mixture into 4 equal parts and put a quarter into each of the tins available, spread the mix evenly in the tin and smooth the top. If cooking in 2 batches put the remaining meringue in the refrigerator until the first batch has cooked
- Bake for 25 mins. until golden light and crisp. Remove from the oven and leave to stand for a few minutes before removing the meringue from the tin
- If cooking in 2 batches repeat step 5 with the remaining uncooked meringue portions. At this stage the meringues can be stored in an airtight tin for several days.
Make the topping and filling
- Whip the cream until starting to stiffen
- Add the Framboise and beat until combined. NB do not over whip the cream as it will continue to stiffen when you stop.
- Swirl a few drops of pink food colour through the cream
Assemble the gateaux
- Layer the meringue with the cream and a sprinkle of raspberries
- Spread half the remaining cream over the sides and top of the gateaux
- Pipe the remaining cream over the top and decorate with the remaining raspberries. For a definitive red swirl in your piping brush a stripe of food colouring in the piping bag before filling it with cream.
Serving suggestions, variations, hints and tips
- This gateaux is a great one impress your friends. As it benefits from being left a few hours before being served once assembled it is a good BBQ or dinner party dessert and needs no accompaniment
- Substitute the Raspberries for strawberries, blackcurrants, blueberries or blackberries. Replace the Framboise with suitably flavoured liquor such as Casis, Strawberry Liquor, Blueberry liquor or Blackberry Liquor
- Berry flavoured liquors are easy to make so have a go when the different fruit seasons hit. They are full of flavour and keep well for many years improving with flavour as they go. They also make great Christmas gifts.
- For a mint choc meringue gateaux, stir chocolate chips into the meringue, add Crème de Menthe to the cream and use a splash of green food colour instead of red
- For a citrus version add the zest of 1 orange or 2 lemons or 2 limes to the meringue and use a suitably flavoured liquor in the cream consider Cointreau or Limoncello. Use a splash of orange yellow or green food colour instead of red.
Acknowledgements
The original version of this gateaux, Coffee and hazelnut meringue gateaux, came from an Australian Women’s Weekly recipe. I tested it out as an alternative to sponge cake for a Farmers Market. Coffee and nuts are not a favourite of Simon’s so I substituted raspberries and played with the recipe until we got this one. Fabtastic.
If you enjoyed this recipe you may also enjoy:
- Our Meringue Buttercream makes a great substitution for whipped cream in this dessert
- Another great meringue dessert is Louise's Lemon Meringue Pie, a family favourite
- Great for using up stale hot cross buns or tea cakes our Hot Cross Bread and Butter Pudding can be made all year round
We hope you have enjoyed these recipes
Happy eating!