Vacherin - meringue ice cream cake
Layers of meringue topped with ice cream and sorbet and covered in whipped cream.
Recipe from wheelofbaking ↗Ingredients
Other
Method
Preheat the oven to 130°C (266°F, conventional setting). Optional: Fit a piping bag with a large, round tip and set aside.
Using a plate or cake pan as a guide, draw two 16 cm (6.3 inch) circles (or desired size) slightly spaced apart on a piece of parchment paper. Flip the parchment paper (so the ink is down) and place on a baking sheet. Note: The meringue will puff up and slightly spread during baking so you can draw circles a little bit smaller than desired size.
Optional (but recommended): If you don’t have superfine sugar, grind granulated sugar in a blender or food processor until fine. Tip: You can grind a larger batch so you don’t have to do this every time you make meringues.
In a clean bowl, free of any fat residues, whip the egg whites and lemon juice on low speed until foamy and soft peaks are just starting to form. Tip: Wipe off the bowl with vinegar before using it to get rid of any fat.
Add the granulated sugar in 5 additions (about 1 and 1/2 Tablespoons each time), whipping for about 20 seconds before adding more.
Once you have added all the sugar, increase the speed to medium and keep beating until stiff peaks form and the sugar has fully dissolved. You can test this by rubbing meringue between your fingers. If it feels gritty, keep whipping.
Sift half of the powdered sugar over the meringue and very briefly mix on low speed to combine, just a few seconds. Repeat with the remaining half. Note: Only mix as much as needed so you don't deflate the meringue. If you prefer, you can fold the powdered sugar into the meringue using a spatula instead.
Fill the piping bag (or simply use two spoons) and pipe a few dots of meringue onto the baking sheet to hold the parchment paper in place. Using the circles as a guide, pipe two meringue layers about 13 mm (1/2 inch thick) in a circular motion, starting from the center moving outwards, as if you were drawing a snail. Hold the piping bag about 2.5 cm (1 inch) over the paper and let the meringue gently fall down in a circular log. Use the remaining meringue to pipe decorations, ideally not too small so they finish baking at the same time.
Bake in the lower third of the oven for about 50 minutes. The baking time will vary depending on your oven and the size of the meringues. The meringues are ready when you can easily peel them off the parchment paper. Optional: Open the oven halfway through baking to release some steam. This will ensure the meringues dry out properly.
Once the meringues are fully baked, turn off the oven and open it slightly. You can use a wooden spoon to hold the oven door. Let the meringues cool down slowly in the oven for about an hour to avoid getting cracks. Remove from the oven and cool down completely before assembling the cake.
Carefully peel off the meringue from the parchment paper. Tip: Remove the small decorations first then gently flip the paper and start peeling it off to release the disks. Don't worry too much though if you break them. This dessert is very forgiving so you can just piece them back up together in the mold.
Trim the meringue disk to desired size if needed using a cake ring (or cake pan and a knife). Repeat with the other disk.
Line the sides of a 17 cm (6.7 inch) springform pan/cake ring with a strip of parchment paper and place a meringue disk. Cover and freeze while you soften the vanilla ice cream. Tip: You can place the cake ring or a springform pan without the bottom straight onto the serving dish or a cake board. Alternatively, line the bottom of the springform pan with parchment paper. If your meringue is properly baked, you should have no trouble transferring it to a serving dish once frozen.
Transfer the ice cream to a large bowl and spread it out with a spoon to soften it slightly, just a few minutes. Using two large spoons, place over the meringue in several spots then carefully (and quickly) spread it out to an even thickness. If it's starting to melt, freeze before moving on to the next step.
Top with the second meringue disk and lightly press it down. Freeze while you soften the sorbet or for as long as needed to avoid melting the ice cream.
Spread the sorbet over the meringue disk then cover and freeze for at least 1 hour or until frozen.
If decorating with sweetened whipped cream, prepare it just before serving: Whip the cold heavy cream to soft peaks (that fall back) then add the powdered sugar. Keep whipping until stiff peaks form. Fill a piping bag fitted with desired tip (if using) or keep in the bowl. Chill while you unmold the cake.
Carefully unmold the cake and peel off the parchment paper. If your springform pan won't open, let it warm up slightly before trying again. Decorate with whipped cream and meringues if desired and enjoy!