Italian style choccy cake with egg whites ... emergency appeal!

[supersprout]

No.1 son has been making industrial quantitites of home made pasta, so we have a lot of egg whites surplus! Combined with leftover Xmas chocolate and a few other things, they should make a delicious, simple italian style chocolate cake (something like a giant truffle). You know the one where you KNOW you have '000s of recipes for it and can't lay your hands on one?

Help please!

- do you have a receep that fits the bill? The simpler, the better, but we don't mind almonds, cream, or whatever it takes to use up those egg whites ;) I'm sure there was one in a River Cafe book but can I find it ??? ::)

<whispers> I think He wants to make a Valentine's day cake for GF this weekend.

[supersprout]

[valmarg]

The first one I have come across is for

CHOCOLATE MACAROONS

Makes eight filled macaroons

100g good dark chocolate chopped
2 egg whites
140g unblanched almonds, very finely ground
140g caster sugar

FILLING:

110g good dark chocolate, chopped
100ml double cream or creme fraiche

A baking tray lined with non-stick baking parchment

Preheat the oven to 135C

Put the chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of hot, but not boiling, water and melt very gently; remove from the heat and stir until smooth.  Using an electric mixer or whisk, whisk the egg whites until they form stiff peaks.  Gradually whisk in the almonds combined with the sugar.  Gently fold in the melted chocolate using a metal spoon.

Put a heaped tablespoon of mixture on the prepared baking tray and spread to form a round about 3in in diameter.  Repeat with the rest of the mixture to give 16 rounds.  Bake for one hour, or until firm.  Cool slightly on the baking tray, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the mousse filling, put the chopped chocolate in a small heavy pan with the cream and heat gently, stirring occasionally, until melted.  Remove from the heat and leave to cool, then beat well with a wooden spoon until thick and fluffy.  Chill until firm.

Sandwich pairs of macaroons together with the mousse filling, spreading it generously.  Leave for about an hour before serving.

I have never actually made these SS, but I have drooled over the picture in the cookbook.  It only uses two egg whites, so you will need to make several batches or find other recipes.

I'm sure you could improvise with a pavlova type sweet, with fruit and chocolate.

If worst comes to worst, ie push comes to shove, you could always freeze the egg whites.

If you do try the macaroon recipe, I should be grateful for your opinion.

valmarg

[Blue Bird]

You could do pavlova as it does freeze really well  ??? ???

and then make a pavlova and chocolate sundea with ice cream/chocs/pavlova with a topping of whipped cream

:o never mind the calories :o

[Marymary]

Just checked my River Cafe book, Supersprout, & the 4 recipes all use whole eggs.  Also a wheatfree recipe I have made uses separated eggs.  I usually make Pavlova after making mayo or hollandaise.

PS I always use whole eggs when making pasta.   :)

[Jeannine]

I can give you a chocolate angel food cake, uses about a dozen egg whites if I remember well, but no place for the Xmas chocolate.it uses cocoa,or just a recipe for a regualar angel food,plus the bonus of no fat.!! I will keep my eyes on the site and send it right off  if you want it. I do have a real  super to die for chocolate meringue and mousse cake  but it is a bit fiddly making the meringue rings first. Let me know XX Jeannine

[Jeannine]

I just re read about the Valentines bit, I am going to type them in,

Chocolate Mousse Cake.

Meringue.. 45g cocoa powder,140g icing sugar,200ml egg whites,140 grams granulated sugar.

Mousse.. 170grams plain chocolaet broken,100 grams butter,3 whole eggs seperated  plus 1 more white,30 g caster sugar,icing sugar and cocoa powder for dusting.

Heat oven to 155c.300f.gas2.

Cut three 12x15inch recatangles of parchment paper and place on 3 baking trays.

Make the meringue..sift the cocoa and icing sugar togethet.Whisk the egg whites until very stiff add 2 tablespoons of the granulated sugar half way through this whisking.Then whisk in the rest of the  granulated sugar  a little at a time.Fold in  the cocoa/sugar mixture  in till well incorporated. Use a piping bag fited with a1/2 Inch nozzle or a piping bag without a suitable sizes hole to cover each piece of parchment paper with meringue, working in a close backwards and forwards movement.  Bake for 1 1/4 hours then leave to cool on paper.Trim all three to 01x4 rectangle, keep all the trimmings.

Make the mousse.. Melt the chocolate stir in the butter, leave a while to cool then beat in the egg yolks.
Whisk the last egg whites till stiffthen whisk in a little sugar at a time.Fold the egg whites into the chocolate mixture. Chill for 20-30 minutes until just beginning to set.
Build the cake.
Sandwich the three layers of meringue together with mousse, cover the sides and top with the reamaining mousse, Crush all the saved bits of meringue, cover the mousse sides and top with the crushed stuff, then dust the whole thing with the reserved cocoa powder and icing sugar. Chill for 4-24 hours before serving XXJeannine

Hope this works for you

[Hyacinth]

So what was the outcome, then,  SS?

Bit puzzled by the egg yolk only pasta tho....what's the recipe, please?

[supersprout]

Thanks to all!
Yes please, Angel (or devil?) food cake please jeannine!
will let you know how it goes - the egg whites are sitting in the fridge pending chef's return Monday :)

For lish, the fresh egg pasta:

225g/8oz plain flour
¼ tsp salt
½ tsp olive oil
2 medium eggs
4 medium eggs, yolks only

:)

[Hyacinth]

What a beautifully rich recipe for pasta! - I'm imagining deep yellow tagliatelle with a proper ragu over it  made with chicken livers.....ahhh, heaven!

btw. the egg whites....omelettes of course 8)

[Jeannine]

My Angel cakes are Mennonite recipes from the US so are therefore measured in cups by volume and not by weight,are you are Ok with that,as long as you have a recepticle that would hold exactly 8 fluid onces of liquid or about 250 ml you can use that to measure with. If not I will convert for you but it will take me a wee while. XX Jeannine

[supersprout]

Thank you Jeannine, I'm happy with cup measures - even happier as I get older! :o :P ::)
I've never made an angel/devil type food cake, tho I remember my mum had a pack of Betty Crocker in the larder when we came back as a family from six months in the US ;D

I wonder if it got eaten ... RAW :o