• Parchment paper
• 6 egg whites
• 1 tablespoon(s) cream of tartar
• 1 1/4 cup(s) sugar
• 3 tablespoon(s) sifted cocoa
• 1/8 teaspoon(s) cayenne pepper
• 4 cup(s) whipped cream

1. To make the cake: Heat oven to 200 degrees F. Line two baking pans with parchment paper and set aside. Draw two 9-inch circles in the center of the paper and set aside.
2. Beat egg whites and cream of tartar until foamy. Stream in 1 1/4 cups sugar and continue to beat on high speed. Just as the whites reach their peaks, sprinkle in sifted cocoa and cayenne pepper and continue beating to stiff peaks.
3. Spread the meringue within the circles. Bake for 3 hours, turn off oven, and let sit for 1 hour.
4. Cool on the pan on a wire rack. Store in a very dry, cool place.
5. Fill the layers with whipped cream and serve within 2 hours.

For you coconut cake lovers out there, here is a recipe that will not disappoint. Delicious, and it looks great as well!

PREP TIME: 30 Min
COOK TIME: 30 Hr
READY IN: ~ 1 Hr
SERVINGS: 8

INGREDIENTS FOR FROST

* 4 large egg whites
* 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
* 1/8 teaspoon salt
* 2 Tablespoons sugar
* 1 1/4 cups sugar
* 1/4 cup water
* 1 teaspoon vanilla
* 2 cups fresh shaved coconut, toasted

INGREDIENTS FOR CAKE

* Cooking spray (I use the kind with flour in it and it works like a dream)
* 12 ounces cake flour sifted (about 3 cups)
* 2 teaspoons baking powder
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1 3/4 cups sugar, divided
* 2/3 cups softened butter
* 1 cup warm coconut milk (from 1 small coconut or Goya brand coconut water)
* 1 teaspoon vanilla
* 6 large egg whites

DIRECTIONS FOR CAKE

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Lightly coat (3) 9-inch round cake pans with cooking spray. Beat egg whites on high speed until foamy.

2. Add 2 tablespoons sugar, one tablespoon at a time, beating until stiff peaks form. Take caution to not overbeat. Set aside.

3. Combine 12 ounces cake flour, baking powder, and salt, whisk well. Place 1 1/2 cups plus 2 Tablespoons sugar and butter in a large bowl beat with a mixer on medium speed for 3 minutes or until light and creamy.

4. Add flour mixture and coconut water alternately to sugar mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Add in vanilla next and carefully, fold your egg whites into the cake batter.

5. Pour the batter into prepared pans. Bake for 18 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool in pans for 10 minutes.

6. Remove cakes from the pans and let it cool completely on a rack.

DIRECTIONS FOR GLAZE

1. Combine the eggs whites, cream of tartar and salt and beat until foamy.

2. Add 2 tablespoons sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time beating until stiff peaks form. Just like we did for the cake.

3. Put 1 1/4 cups sugar and 1/4 cup water in a handled saucepan. Bring to a boil. Cook without stirring until a candy thermometer reaches 250 degrees.

4. With the mixer on low pour the extremely hot sugar syrup in a thin stream into the egg whites.

5. Gradually increase the speed to high and beat about 8 minutes. It is done when the bowl is cool to the touch. Stir in the vanilla.

6. Frost your cake. Gently arrange coconut on the top and sides of cake and serve!

Modified from a recipe at bakedbree

Peanut Butter Frosting

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
• 1 pound powdered sugar
• 1/4 – 1/2 cup of half and half, to consistency

Methods

Combine the butter, peanut butter, and vanilla bean paste in the bowl of an electric mixer.

Using the whisk attachment, whip the butter, peanut butter, and vanilla bean paste until light and fluffy.

Add the powdered sugar, and whip until it is incorporated.

The mixture will be stiff.

Gradually add the half and half, mixing on medium-high, until the icing is light and fluffy and is the right consistency for spreading.

Components

2 lb. 12 oz. Ladyfinger batter
9 fluid ounces Simple Syrup
2 fluid ounces Coffee or almond liqueur
1/2 fluid ounce Coffee extract
1/2 fluid ounce Vanilla extract
3 pounds Mascarpone Cream Mousse
Chocolate Ganache for decorating
Chocolate decorations, as needed

Ladyfingers

Ladyfingers are made from a spongecake batter that is piped into finger-length strips. After baking, these soft cakes may be eaten plain as a cookie or petit four. They are equally good when dried out in the oven, like biscotti. These versatile cakes are used to line the mold for a Bavarian dessert. For convenience, the batter may be piped close together to form a strip after baking and used to line a mold or torte ring.

Ingredients

3 ounces Cornstarch
4 ounces Bread flour
6 Egg yolks
6 ounces Granulated sugar
6 Egg whites
1/2 teaspoon Lemon juice

Method

1. Sift the cornstarch and flour together.

2. Whip the egg yolks with 2 ounces (60 grams) of the sugar until thick and creamy.

3. Whip the egg whites until foamy. Gradually add 2 ounces (60 grams) of the sugar and the lemon juice. Continue whipping to soft peaks, then add the remaining sugar gradually and whip to stiff peaks.

4. Fold approximately one-quarter of the egg whites into the whipped yolks to lighten them, then gently fold in the remaining whites. Fold in the flour mixture.

5. Place the batter into a pastry bag fitted with a large plain tip. Pipe 4-inch- (10-centimeter) long cookies onto paper-lined sheet pans.

6. Bake immediately at 425°F (220°C) until lightly browned, approximately 8 minutes.

Simple Syrup (Cake Syrup)

Ratio: 2:1

Ingredients

16 oz Sugar

8 oz Water

Method

Place water and sugar into saucepan and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and allow to cool before adding flavourings.

Mascarpone Cream Filling
Yield: 3lbs

Ingredients

1 lb. 5 oz. Mascarpone , warmed to 105°F (40°C)
9 Egg yolks
8 ounces Granulated sugar
5 fluid ounces Water
1/2 ounce Sheet gelatin, softened
1 pint Heavy cream, whipped to soft peaks

Method

1. Place the warmed mascarpone in a large bowl.

2. Make a bombe batter by whipping the egg yolks in the bowl of a mixer fitted with the whip. Cook the sugar and water in a saucepan until the syrup reaches the soft ball stage 240°F (115°C).

3. Pour the sugar syrup into the yolks, with the mixer running at high speed. Pour in a steady stream between the side of the bowl and the beater. Once all the sugar is incorporated, whip one more minute at high speed then reduce to medium speed and whip until the bombe mixture cools to approximately 110°F (49°C).

4. Add the softened sheet gelatin to the warm bombe batter. Stir until the gelatin dissolves completely.

5. Fold the bombe batter into the mascarpone cream.

Ganache
Yield: 2lbs

Ingredients

1 pound Bittersweet chocolate
1 pint Heavy cream
1 fluid ounce Almond or coffee liqueur

Method

1. Chop the chocolate into small pieces and place in a large metal bowl.

2. Bring the cream just to a boil, then immediately pour it over the chocolate, stirring with a rubber spatula to blend. Stir gently until all the chocolate has melted.

3. Stir in the liqueur.

4. Allow to cool, stirring frequently with a rubber spatula until the desired consistency is achieved.

Assembly of Tiramisu

1. Butter and flour two paper-lined full-size sheet pans. Using a plain medium tip, pipe half of the Ladyfinger batter into 4 disks measuring 7 inches (17.5 centimeters) in diameter.

2. To make the strips of ladyfingers to line the ring mold, pipe the remaining batter into ladyfingers 4 inches (10 centimeters) long placed close together so they join at the sides and form a strip the entire length of the sheet pan. Bake as directed.

3. Lightly oil and sugar 4, 7-inch (17.5 centimeter) torte rings. Place them on a paper-lined sheet pan.

4. Cut the strip of ladyfingers in half lengthwise. Trim the strips of ladyfingers on each long edge to fit evenly inside the ring molds.

5. Position the ladyfinger strips inside the rings, cut to size to make a tight fit. Place a ladyfinger disk on the bottom of each ring.

6. Combine the simple syrup, liqueur, coffee extract and vanilla extract. Moisten the cake with half of this syrup.

7. Divide half of the Mascarpone Cream Mousse between each mold.

8. Place the second ladyfinger disk in the rings and moisten with the remaining coffee syrup.

9. Fill with the remaining Mascarpone Cream, leveling it to the rim.

10. Refrigerate or freeze the tortes for 2 hours.

11. Remove from freezer and cover the top surface with a thin layer of chocolate ganache, or sprinkle lightly with cocoa powder to garnish. Remove the rings then decorate the tortes with chocolate decorations of your choice (I made roses from chocolate modeling fondant).

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Notes:

I made this fancy tear shaped cake by placing cardboard and heavy plastic strips in a large 14 inch round pan to achieve the shape I wanted. LOTS of tape and smaller plastic molds were used to get the shape right.

Original recipe source: OnBaking – Labensky 2005