Best Ukrainian Lavish Chocolate Meringue Cake Recipes

KIEV CAKE

Steps:

• Trace a 9 inch circle on 2 sheets of parchment paper. Set aside for later use.
• In a bowl combine wheat flour with 1/3 cup sugar. Then add the chopped hazel nuts and mix to combine.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the egg whites on high speed until foamy,
• Add the cream of tartar and beat until soft peaks begin to form. Add the sugar and vanilla and beat until stiff peaks form.
• Gently fold in the hazel nut and flour mixture into the egg whites.
• Dab 5 dots of the meringue onto each baking sheet. Lay the prepared parchment paper on top (traced side down). This will help hold the parchment in place.
• Split the hazelnut meringue amongst the 2 (9 inch) circles. Try to spread within the lines as bet as possible. Bake at 300 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 minutes then drop the temperature to 220 degrees Fahrenheit, bake for another 3 hours and 45 minutes.
• Let the meringue cool completely. Place a 9 inch round pan on top and cut around the edges. Do this to both cakes. Reserve the outside edge that's been cut; you will need it to coat the sides of the finished cake.
• In a bowl lightly beat 2 eggs with 1 1/4 cup sugar.
• In a sauce pan, bring the milk to a simmer (not a boil). Slowly pour it into the eggs and sugar making sure to stir constantly.
• Pour the egg and milk mixture back into the saucepan and continue stirring over medium low heat until it becomes yellow and thickened. This may take up to 10-15 minutes.
• Remove the saucepan from heat and add the vanilla extract. Stir to combine. Let it cool to room temperature.
• Beat the room temperature butter in a stand mixer using the whisk attachment.
• Pour in the cooled egg mixture while continuing to mix. Then add the rum.
• Reserve 1 1/2 cups of the butter cream. Combine it with 1/4 cup cocoa powder.
• Spread the white buttercream on top of the first meringue layer. Don't use up all of the white butter cream; reserve about 1/3 cup for decorating.
• Place the second meringue layer on top of the buttercream. Then spread enough buttercream to thinly coat the sides of the cake.
• Spread the chocolate buttercream on the top portion of the cake.
• Coat the sides of the cake with the left over meringue crumbles. From here, decorate the cake as you wish.

KYIV CAKE (UKRAINIAN CLASSIC)

Steps:

• Prepare an 11 inch sponge cake. Refer to our famous Sponge Cake recipe.
• Whip egg whites on high speed until they are doubled in volume.
• Gradually add sugar until well combined.
• Using a spatula, stir in a circular motion while gently mixing in the hazelnuts.
• Spread the mixture onto 11 inch baking pan, lined with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Bake it at 250°F for 6 hours.
• In a small pot, beat egg yolks. Add water and condensed milk, and stir until smooth.
• Cook all ingredients on very low heat. Continue mixing the cream the entire time to prevent the cream from sticking to corners. Slowly increase the heat, but do not bring the mixture to a boil. Cook until the mixture attains the texture of condensed milk, about 5-10 minutes.
• Remove the mixture from the heat and add chocolate chips. Allow a few minutes for the mixture to melt, before mixing it through. Let the mixture cool off to room temperature.
• In a separate bowl, beat butter. Once the butter is fluffy, add the cream mixture to the butter, a few spoonfuls at a time, until fully blended.
• Using a serrated knife, slice the sponge cake horizontally in half. Cover each layer with jam, excluding the top layer.
• Place the first layer of sponge cake and cover it with cream, followed by meringue, then again, a layer of cream.
• Once the cake is put together, frost the sides, then top with the remaining cream and your choice of decoration.

UKRAINIAN LAVISH CHOCOLATE MERINGUE CAKE

Steps:

• The day before assembling the cake, make the meringue layers. Cut out TWO-11-inch circles from parchment or freezer paper; grease well with butter and sprinkle lightly with flour.
• Preheat the oven to 250°F Fold the rim of the baking circles slightly upward.
• In a large bowl, beat the egg whites, cream of tartar, and vinegar together until the whites hold a stiff peak. Add the superfine sugar, a few Tablespoons at a time, beating until the mixture is stiff and glossy. To make superfine sugar blend in the blender until it is superfine.
• Gently fill each circle with half the meringue mixture, spreading evenly with a rubber spatula. Bake until the meringues are light golden and dry, 1 hour.
• Invert the meringues onto a plate and peel off the parchment paper. Leave in a dry spot overnight.
• The next day, preheat the oven to 350°F Line the bottom a 10-inch sprinform pan with parchment or freezer paper. Lightly butter the paper and sprinkle lightly with flour.
• To make the walnut chocolate layer, in a large bowl, beat the egg yolks with the sugar until the mixture is pale yellow and forms a ribbon when the beaters are lifted.
• With clean, dry beaters, beat the egg whites in a separate bowl until soft peaks form. Gently fold one-third of the whites into the beaten yolks, then fold in the rest, alternating with the grated chocolate and walnuts.
• Fold in the bread crumbs, coffee, and lemon juice.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 20 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 300°F and bake until the cake tester comes out clean, another 20 to 25 minutes.
• When the cake cools off a little, remove the sides of the pan. Invert the cake and peel off the paper. Using a serrated knife, cut it horizontally into two layers.
• Whip the cream with the sugar, instant coffee, and rum extract until it holds stiff peaks.
• Place one of the walnut-chocolate layers, cut side up, on a cake platter and spread it with 1/2 cup of the red currant preserves and then with one-third of the coffee-flavored cream. Top with one meringue layer. Spread another one-third of the cream on the meringue layer and top with the second meringue layer. Spread the rest of the cream filling on the meringue. Spread the remaining preserves over the remaining walnut-chocolate layer. Place the walnut-chocolate layer, preserves side down, on top of the cream filling.
• You should have the following layers, starting at the bottom: walnut-chocolate, preserves, cream, meringue, cream, meringue, cream, preserves, walnut-chocolate.
• For the icing, melt the chocolate and shortening in the water in the top of a double boiler, over barely simmering water.
• Spread the top and sides of the cake with warm chocolate icing. Refrigerate the cake for at least 1 hour before serving. Serves 12.

UKRAINIAN CHOCOLATE CAKE WITH RASPBERRY (RUSSIAN)

Steps:

• Stir sugar with egg yolks. Mix with whipped butter and melted chocolate. Sprinkle with salt. Gradually stir in flour.
• Whip egg whites; mix into chocolate mixture with a light hand.
• Put into a well-greased and floured baking pan. Bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes.
• Before serving, brush with jam and sprinkle with grated chocolate and walnuts.

CHOCOLATE AND HAZELNUT MERINGUE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-by-3-inch springform pan. Line bottom with parchment. Butter parchment, and sprinkle with flour; tap out excess. Set aside.
• Spread hazelnuts in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Toast until fragrant and skins start to crack, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from oven; rub vigorously with a clean kitchen towel to take off skins. Let cool; roughly chop. Set aside.
• Make cake batter: In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and brown sugar until pale and smooth. Add egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition, until mixture is light and fluffy. Add melted chocolate, vanilla, and rum, if using; beat until combined. Set aside.
• In a clean mixer bowl, combine 6 egg whites and salt; using the whisk attachment, beat on high speed until soft peaks form, about 2 minutes. Stir one-third of the egg whites into chocolate mixture. Fold in remaining beaten egg whites just until combined. Pour batter into prepared pan, and bake 25 minutes.
• Meanwhile, make meringue: Combine hazelnuts, chopped chocolate, and cornstarch in a small bowl, and set aside. Place remaining 4 egg whites and cream of tartar in a clean mixer bowl; using a clean whisk attachment, beat on high speed until frothy. With mixer running, slowly add superfine sugar; continue beating until stiff peaks form, about 8 minutes. Fold in hazelnut mixture.
• Remove cake from oven. Using an offset spatula, spread meringue mixture on top of cake, and return to oven. Bake until meringue is lightly browned and crisp, 25 to 30 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack; let stand 10 minutes. Run a knife around the edge of the cake to loosen, and release sides of pan. Let cool, about 30 minutes, before slicing and serving.