L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, APRIL 30, 2015 www.italoamericano.org 20 L'Italo-Americano Spring is here, and how about greeting it with a Meringata? This simple dessert is composed of two disks of ethereal merin- gue, baked to a delicate crispi- ness, and filled with a layer of sweetened, chocolate-flecked whipped cream. The technique is simple, and the ingredients are found in most of our pantries and refrigerators - eggs, cream, sugar, cream of tartar, vanilla extract, and chocolate. Feel free to add chopped toa- sted hazelnuts or raspberries to the filling. Both are elegant mat- ches for chocolate, and would elevate this simple homey dessert to the realm of the sublime. With a final flourish of homemade Chocolate Sauce, this delight from the Italian pastry kitchen will please diners young and old. Meringata serves 8 To attain optimal volume when whipping egg whites, sepa- rate the eggs carefully so that there is no trace of yolk in the whites, and be sure that the bowl and whisk are scrupulously clean as even a trace of fat will impede the whipping of the egg whites. Once baked, the meringue disks are somewhat fragile, so handle them carefully. Meringue • 6 large egg whites, yolks reserved for another purpose • ¾ teaspoon cream of tartar • 1 ½ cups vanilla sugar • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract Whipped Cream Center • 2 cups heavy cream • ¼ cup confectioner's sugar • 2 tablespoons whipped cream stabilizer • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract • 3 ounces mini-chocolate chips, or coarsely chopped bitter- sweet (60%) chocolate Chocolate Sauce • ½ cup light corn syrup • ⅔ cup heavy cream • ⅓ cup dark brown sugar • ¼ cup natural cocoa powder • 6 ounces bittersweet chocola- te (60%), well chopped, divided • 2 tablespoons unsalted but- ter, softened • 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste • Pinch of fine sea salt Make the Meringue: preheat the oven to 225 degrees F. Place the racks on the next to the lowest and upper middle positions. Use a pencil to mark a 10-inch circle on each of 2 pieces of parchment. Turn the parchment over and Whip Up Something Light ADRI BARR CROCETTI place each piece on a separate baking sheet. Place the egg whites in the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Add the cream of tartar and beat on medium speed until soft peaks form. Increase the speed to high and add the sugar very slowly over the course of several minu- tes, allowing the sugar to dissol- ve completely and scraping down any sugar that clings to the sides. Continue beating until stiff peaks form and the meringue is fluffy, bright white, and glossy. If you rub a bit between your fin- gers you should feel no grit whatsoever. Dab a bit of the meringue under each corner of the parch- ment. This will allow the paper to grip the baking sheet and pre- vent the parchment from moving as you work. Transfer half of the meringue to a large pastry bag fitted with a large plain tip. Form the bottom disk by piping a cir- cle of meringue inside one of the traced circles. Smooth the top. To make the top disk, fill the piping bag with the remaining meringue and pipe a second cir- cle. Use a small palette knife or a spoon to make small decorative depressions and "waves" on the surface of the meringue disk. Place the meringue disks in the oven and bake for 90 to 100 minutes. The meringue may color very slightly. Halfway through the baking time rotate the sheets top to bottom and front to back to promote even baking. When the meringue disks are baked, turn the oven off, MAESTRO BRAND ITALIAN SAUSAGE Also served at many of your favorite restaurants! www.maestrosausage.com Find us exclusively at the following retailers: Sorrento Italian Market 5518 Sepulveda Blvd. Culver City, CA 90230 Beef Palace Butcher Shop 5895 Warner & Springdale HunƟngton Beach, CA 92649 The Butchery 415 South Associated Rd Brea, CA 92821 The Butchery 103 E. 17th Street Costa Mesa, CA 92627 The Meat House 23982 Alicia Parkway Mission Viejo, CA 92691 Vicente Foods 12027 San Vicente Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90049 Roma Italian Deli & Grocery 918 North Lake Avenue, Pasadena, CA 91104 Bay CiƟes Imports 1517 Lincoln Blvd. Santa Monica, CA 90401 Eastside Market Italian Deli 1013 Alpine St. Los Angeles, CA 90012 Eagle Rock Italian Bakery 1726 Colorado Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90041 CavareƩa's Italian Deli 22045 Sherman Way Canoga Park, CA 91303 Mickey's Deli 101 Hermosa Beach Ave. Hermosa Beach, CA 90254 Grand View Market 12210 Venice Blvd Mar Vista, CA 90291 Venice Ranch Market 425 Rose Ave Venice, CA 90291 leave the door closed and allow the meringue disks to dry in the oven for 3 hours. Transfer to racks to dry and cool further. Once cool, carefully pull the par- chment paper away from the meringue disks. Make the Chocolate Sauce: combine the corn syrup, heavy cream, brown sugar, cocoa pow- der, and half of the chopped cho- colate in a medium saucepan, and bring to a boil over medium- low heat, stirring frequently to avoid scorching. Reduce to a gentle simmer and cook 5 minu- tes, stirring frequently. Remove the saucepan from the heat. Add the remaining chopped chocola- te, butter, vanilla paste, and sea salt. Stir until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth. Cool slightly and serve. Store, tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. The sauce may be gently warmed in the microwave. Makes about 2 cups. Make the Whipped Cream Filling: chill the bowl and whisk attachment of a standing mixer in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Beat the cold cream, confectio- ner's sugar, stabilizer, and vanil- la extract on medium speed until fluffy and firm, but not grainy. Fold in the chocolate morsels. Assemble the Meringata: place the smooth topped disk on a baking sheet and spread the whipped cream over it, reaching just to the edges. Smooth the top. Carefully place the remaining meringue disk atop the whipped cream layer. Cover the Meringata with plastic wrap and place it in the freezer for 3 to 4 hours. Serve the Meringata: remove the Meringata from the freezer and lift off the plastic wrap. Transfer it to a serving platter. Drizzle the warm Chocolate Sauce over the Meringata. Cut and serve. Vanilla Bean Paste and Whipped Cream Stabilizer are available from KingArthur Flour.com Questions? Email me at adri@AdriBarrCrocetti.com or visit AdriBarrCrocetti.com Meringata with chocolate sauce

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