Chestnut Meringue Cake

Versión en español

Chestnut Meringue Cake is traditional in Chile, usually is bought at the favorite family bakery. I don’t remember my mother ever doing it at home, is so easy to come by. But after moving to the USA, I didn’t have another option than learning to do it by myself, and soon I was making it for other Chilean families living here in Houston, is always welcome with cheers and sweet memories.

Chestnut is the flavor of choice for me during fall. I like to eat my cake with an expresso.

You may also want to make this recipe: Thousand Layer Cake

for 20 people
Ingredients:

for the meringue,

6 large egg whites
1 cup plus 5 tablespoons of fine granulated sugar
a pinch of salt

Directions:

Draw 4 circles of 20cm or 8″ in diameter on parchment paper, leaving one ear on each circle, placed the parchment on two baking sheets.
Preheat oven to 200F or 100 C.
Place egg whites and salt in a large bowl of a stand mixer set with the whipping attachment. Whip at medium speed until the whites form soft peaks and hold when lift (without gliding down).
Add the sugar slowly while continuing beating on medium speed, then whip on high speed for 8-10 minutes, until it looks silky and if you rub the meringue between your fingers do not feel any grains of sugar.
Spoon the meringue into a piping bag with a round tip of about half inch diameter or a Ziploc bag and cut one end.
Fill on the pre-draw circles in a concentric motion starting from the outside in with the meringue. Spread with a knife to level or leave like that.
Bake for 1 ½ hour, the discs should feel dry to the touch but do not brown.
Allow cooling in the oven. Once cooled wrapped without removing the parchment paper with plastic wrap and stored for up to 2-3 days. The meringue is fragile, treat it gently. Do not refrigerate.

For the chestnut cream,

3 cups Heavy Whipping Cream (fresh cream)
400 grams chestnut puree
1/4 cup of granulated sugar

Directions:

Use a chilled bowl. Put the cream in the bowl and whip on high speed until it doubles in volume and forms soft peaks.
Add the chestnut puree and the sugar and beat for 1 minute to fully incorporate in high speed. Sweeten to taste, but remember that the meringue is very sweet.
Assemble the cake alternating merengue disc (remember to remove the parchment paper) and chestnut cream.
Storage the cake frozen, move to the refrigerator 2 hours before serving, serve cold.