Categories: cake

Ingredients

• 1 recipe Basic Meringue Mixture:
• 3 egg whites
• 1/4 tsp. cream of tartar
• 18 tsp. salt
• 1 1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup superfine sugar
• 1 to 2 drops yellow food coloring
• 1 to 2 drops red food coloring
• 1 to 2 drops green food coloring
• 12 egg whites
• 1 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 cup sifted cake flour
• 1 to 1 1/4 tsp. almond extract
• Italian Meringue Frosting:
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup light corn syrup
• 1/4 cup water
• 4 egg whites
• 1/8 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 4 to 5 drops yellow food coloring (optional)

Directions

1. Basic Meringue Mixture:

2. Beat first 4 ingredients at high speed with an electric mixer until foamy. Add sugar, 1 Tbsp. at a time, beating until stiff peaks form and sugar dissolves.
3. Pipe or spread mixture into desired shapes, and bake as directed in recipe.

4. Cake:

5. Divide basic Meringue Mixture into thirds. Whisk 1 to 2 drops yellow food coloring into first portion, 1 to 2 drops red food coloring into second portion, and 1 to 2 drops green into third portion. Spoon each portion into a decorating bag fitted with large star tip. Pipe 12 (1-inch) mounds of each color onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet.
6. Bake at 200 degrees for 1 hour and 45 minutes to 2 hours; turn oven off. Let meringues stand in closed oven with light on 8 hours.
7. Beat egg whites at high speed with electric mixer until foamy. Add cream of tartar and salt; beat until stiff peaks form. Add sugar, 2 Tbsp. at a time, beating until stiff peaks form. Fold in flour, 1/4 cup at a time. Fold in almond extract, and spoon into a wax paper lined 12-inch cake or springform pan.
8. Bake 375 degrees for 35 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly touched. Cool in pan on a wire rack 40 minutes. Run a thin metal spatula around cake edges to loosen; remove from pan, and peel off wax paper.
9. Spread Italian Meringue Frosting on top and sides of cake. Mound meringue rounds on top of cake.

10. Italian Meringue Frosting:

11. Cook sugar, light corn syrup and water in a heavy saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly, until sugar dissolves. Bring to a boil, and boil until a candy thermometer registers 248 degrees (about 5 minutes.)
12. Beat egg whites at high speed with an electric mixer until foamy; add salt, and beat until stiff peaks form. Gradually whisk hot syrup into egg whites, whisking until stiff peaks form and frosting is of spreading consistency.
13. Stir in vanilla and, if desired, food coloring.

14. makes 3 1/2 cups

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