GREAT BRITISH BAKE OFF IS BACK! WOOHOO! For anyone who doesn’t know, each episode is split into three bakes; the signature bake; the technical challenge; and, the showstopper! I’ve decided to take on one bake from each episode and this week it was the signature bake. The first bake of the series was a sandwich cake of any flavour or design, so I decided to go for this raspberry and hazelnut meringue cake.
The recipe is from Best Ever Afternoon Tea Recipes by Anthony Wild and Carol Pastor. Again, the version I have found on Amazon has a slightly different cover so I must have an older edition.
140g hazelnuts
4 egg whites
200g caster sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
for the filling
300ml whipping cream
700g raspberries
Preheat the oven to 180°C (Gas 4) 350°F. Thoroughly grease and line the bases of two 20cm/8in round cake tins with baking parchment.
Spread the hazelnuts on a baking sheet and bake for 8 minutes, or until lightly toasted. Leave to cool slightly. Rub the hazelnuts vigorously in a clean dish towel to remove the skins. Reduce the oven temperature to 150°C (Gas 2) 300°F.
Grind the nuts in a food processor until they are the consistency of coarse sand.
Put the egg whites into a clean grease-free bowl and whisk until they form stiff peaks. Beat in 2tbsp of the sugar, then, using a plastic spatula, fold in the remaining sugar a few spoonfuls at a time.
Fold in the vanilla and hazelnuts. Divide the mixture between the cake tins and smooth the top level. Bake for 1 and 1/4 hours until firm.
Leave to cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then run a knife around the inside edge of the tins to loosen the meringues. Turn out to cool on a wire rack.
For the filling, whip the cream. Spread half on one cake round and top with half the raspberries (or just as many as you can fit). I also mashed some raspberries together with a little bit of icing sugar and spread some across the raspberries.
Top with the other cake round. Spread the remaining cream on top and arrange the rest of the raspberries over the top. Chill for 1 hour before serving.
