Almond Meringue Cake with Coffee and Whipped Cream

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I love making flourless gluten free cakes. It’s quite easy, and I like to think about the flavor and texture combination.

This almond meringue cake is for coffee addicts, and cappuccino lovers. An almond meringue crust filled with coffee cream and topped with vanilla whipped cream.

Almond Meringue Cake with Coffee and Whipped Cream

Photo: Natalie Levin



Almond Meringue Cake with Coffee and Whipped Cream

For almond meringue cake:

  • 5 large egg whites at room temperature
  • Pinch of salt
  • 75 grams (1/3 cup) sugar
  • 100 grams (1 cup) almond meal
  • 60 grams (1/2 cup) sugar powder
  • 40 grams (4 tbsp.) cornstarch

For coffee cream:

  • 375 ml. (1 1/2 cups) milk
  • 100 grams (1/2 cup) sugar
  • 2 tsp. instant coffee powder
  • 3 large egg yolks
  • Pinch of salt
  • 40 grams (4 tbsp.) cornstarch
  • 70 grams (4 1/2 tbsp.) soft butter

For vanilla whipped cream:

  • 250 ml. (1 cup) heavy cream (very cold)
  • 1 tbsp. sugar powder
  • 1 tbsp. instant vanilla pudding powder
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract

Decoration:

  • Truffles or chocolate decorations

Almond meringue cake:

  1. Preheat oven to 160 degrees and put the baking pan (or baking ring) on a baking tray lined with baking paper. It’s important not to grease the pan at all.
  2. In a bowl of a mixer whip egg whites and salt at high speed.
  3. When foam begins to form, gradually add sugar, until very stable meringue form.
  4. Add in almond meal, sugar powder and cornstarch and fold gently but firmly until the mixture is smooth and stable.
  5. Transfer the mixture into a pastry bag fitted with 2-3 cm round piping tip.
  6. Pipe a bottom and create “walls” by drizzling large mounds of meringue in the sides of the pan.
  7. Bake the crust for 25-35 minutes or until golden and set.
  8. Cool completely and place in the freezer for an hour to stabilize. Using a very sharp knife go through the side of the pan and release the crust from the pan.

Coffee cream:

  1. In a medium saucepan put milk, sugar and coffee and heat to simmering point.
  2. Meanwhile, whisk egg yolks, salt and cornstarch until blended.
  3. Pour about 1/3 amount of milk onto the yolk mixture while whisking until mixture is smooth.
  4. Add the mixture into the pot with remaining milk and mix well.
  5. Return to cook on medium-low heat, while vigorous whisking constantly, until the cream thickens and bubbly.
  6. Remove from heat and add in butter. Stir until melted.
  7. Transfer the cream into a flat container, cover the surface with plastic wrap (to avoid the formation of crust) and refrigerate for 2 hours.
  8. Transfer the cold cream into a bowl and whisk well to return to it’s the original texture.
  9. Pour the cream onto the almond crust and flatten the top. Refrigerate until preparation of whipped cream. A small part of the coffee cream is used for decoration.

Vanilla cream:

  1. In a bowl of mixer with a whipping-attachment put cream, powdered sugar, stabilizer and vanilla and whip at high speed until you get a very stable whipped cream.
  2. Transfer the whipped cream into a pastry bag fitted with Saint Honoré piping tip and drizzle over the coffee cream.
  3. Pipe small dots of coffee cream and garnish with chocolate truffles.
  • Keep the meringue cake in a closed container in the refrigerator up to 3-4 days, but it’s at its best a day or two after preparation.

Almond Meringue Cake with Coffee and Whipped Cream

Photo; Natalie Levin