If you are looking for a dessert that will wow your guests but you don't want to spend hours in the kitchen, a baked vacherin is just the thing.
Light crisp meringues gently enfold a delicious cranberry cream making this dessert look not only festive but elegant as well. It is a perfect end to any meal, giving you a light and creamy yet not too sweet alternative to all of the heavy sugar laden treats you will find around the holidays.
When the vacherin is assembled, it will look like a white bowl filled with a beautiful pink cream. You can decorate the"lid" with a few reserved cranberries or candied fruit.
To make the meringues you may find it easier to use a pastry bag but no special tool or forms are needed in making a vacherin. You will need to have either aluminum foil, waxed paper or parchment.
One of the pluses of this recipe is you can make the cranberry filling and the first set of meringue circles ahead of time and store them in the freezer. If you do this, it will leave you with only having to assemble the basket and bake the day you plan to serve it.
Ingredients:
- 12 egg whites
- 1 lb fresh cranberries
- 6 c sugar
- 1 c water
- 1 3oz pkg orange flavored gelatin
- 2 c heavy whipping cream, whipped
Directions for meringues:
- Pre-heat oven to 275
- Make four 9" circles and one 8" circle out of foil, parchment or waxed paper, place them on cookie sheets
- Beat 6 of the egg whites on med speed of electric mixer until soft peaks form (when you pull the beater blades out of the egg, the white will mound up but the top does not stand up stiff)
- Gradually beat in 2 c of the sugar 1/4 c at a time until the egg looks stiff and glossy
- Spread the meringue 1" thick on one of the 9" circles and the 8" circle covering the entire thing like frosting a cake
- On the other three circles make 1" wide rings either using a pastry bag with a 1cm nozzle (1/2") or a fork or spoon to spread the meringue
- Leave oven door open slightly during baking to allow meringues to dry properly
- Bake rings for 40 min
- Bake circles for 60 min
- After removing meringues from oven, allow them to cool completely and then carefully remove paper baking
- If you plan to freeze the meringue at this point, wrap them in waxed paper and place them in an airtight container. When you take them out of the freezer, immediately remove them from their container, unwrap them and allow them to thaw at room temp.
Directions for making cranberry cream:
- Rinse cranberries
- In a saucepan combine cranberries, 2c sugar and water
- Bring to a slow boil then reduce heat and simmer until berries are tender, about 10 min. Stir occasionally to be sure the sugar dissolves. Be sure to use a wooden spoon when stirring. If a metal spoon is used it can cause sugar crystals to form.
- Stir gelatin into hot cranberries and stir until dissolved
- Chill until slightly thickened
- Fold in whipped cream
- Pour into a freezer safe container, cover and freeze until firm
Assembling the basket:
- Beat 6 egg whites with 2c sugar following directions above
- Place your 9" meringue layer on a cookie sheet that has been lined with foil, waxed paper or parchment
- Spread a layer of the egg white over the sides of the 9" layer
- Place the rest of your egg white in a pastry bag with a large tip (preferably rosette pattern)
- Pipe rosettes all around the side of the 9" layer
- Now place the 8" layer on the lined cookie sheet if both fit side by side and pipe rosettes all over the top of the layer. This will become the top of the basket
- Bake for 60 min leaving the door ajar while cooking
- Cool completely
- Remove meringues from paper
- Stack the 1" rings on top of 9" circle
- Fill with cranberry cream and top with 8" lid
- Serve immediately
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