From the Food and Drink Magazine from the LCBO
This is a perfect dessert for that first summer supper out on the deck. Take pleasure in the fact that you don’t need an ice cream maker to make this dessert.
EQUIPMENT
9” spring form pan
3 baking sheets
Parchment paper
MERINGUE LAYERS
4 large egg whites
½ cup white sugar
½ cup light brown sugar; packed
FILLING
2 ½ cups whipping cream
½ cup honey
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 ¼ cup walnut pieces; lightly toasted and finely chopped.
- Preheat oven to 275 deg F.
- With a magic marker, trace three 9” circles on a sheet of parchment paper. Place paper upside down on a baking tray.
- For meringue layers, whip egg whites until foamy, then add white sugar and whip until whites hold a stiff peak when beaters are lifted. Whip in brown sugar quickly. Dollop meringue evenly in the centres of the drawn circles on the parchment paper and spread to just shy of the circle edge (meringues will expand as they bake). Bake for about an hour, until crisp-a bit of browning is just fine. Cool completely before lifting from parchment paper. Use a long offset spatula to loosen meringue from the paper-be careful not to break the meringue. (a bread knife will work too)
- For filling, whip cream to soft peaks and fold in honey, vanilla and 1 cup of the finely chopped walnut pieces.
- To assemble, grease and line a 9” spring form pan with parchment paper. Place 1 meringue disc at the bottom of pan (trim to fit if necessary); and spread with 1/3 of the cream. Top with a second meringue disc and top with another 1/3 of the cream. Tip with the last disc, spread the last of the cream and sprinkle with the remaining ¼ cup of walnut pieces.
- Carefully place torte in freezer. Freeze overnight (or at least 6 hours).
- To serve, place torte in refrigerator 1 hour before serving and slice with a hot dry knife.
Serves 8-10.