Best Vacherin Recipes

VACHERIN WITH WHIPPED CREAM AND MIXED BERRIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Coat 2 baking sheets with cooking spray. Draw a 9-inch circle onto each of 2 pieces of parchment. Turn over, and line baking sheets with each.
• Beat whites with mixer on high speed until soft peaks form, about 2 minutes. Beat in 1/4 cup granulated sugar. Add remaining 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time. Scrape down sides of bowl, and continue to beat mixture until whites are very stiff and glossy and sugar is almost dissolved, 7 to 8 minutes. Beat in 1 teaspoon vanilla.
• Divide meringue between baking sheets and spread evenly with a rubber spatula, using circles as a guide. (Small swirls can be made for texture.)
• Place baking sheets on separate racks in oven, and bake, switching position of sheets halfway through, about 2 hours. Meringues should remain white, become crisp on the outside and bottoms, and should easily lift from the parchment. Turn off heat, and let cool in oven, about 1 1/2 hours.
• Beat cream, confectioners' sugar, and remaining teaspoon vanilla until stiff peaks form. Place 1 meringue on a serving platter, and top with half the whipped cream. Smooth evenly with a spatula. Sprinkle half the berries on top of the whipped cream, then place second meringue on top. Smooth remaining whipped cream on top of the center of the meringue. Garnish with remaining berries and currants if desired.

BERRY VACHERIN

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 200 degrees with two racks centered. Trace a 9-inch circle on each of 2 pieces of parchment paper. Turn over, and use each piece to line a baking sheet. Set aside.
• Place egg whites in the clean bowl (copper, if possible) of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on high speed until soft peaks form, about 2 minutes. Add 1/4 cup granulated sugar; beat to combine. Gradually add remaining 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, until whites are very stiff and glossy. Add 1 teaspoon vanilla; beat just until combined.
• Divide batter between the traced circles, and use an icing spatula or rubber spatula to spread evenly to the edges of the circles.
• Place baking sheets on separate racks in the oven, and bake about 3 1/2 hours, switching the upper and lower sheets every 30 minutes. When fully cooked, the meringues should be white and dried and crisp on the outside, yet soft and somewhat chewy inside; test by tapping the center lightly with a fork. Remove from oven, and let cool completely on baking sheets.
• Combine cream, remaining 1 teaspoon vanilla and 2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar in a chilled metal bowl; whip until cream is stiff but soft.
• Place one meringue on a serving plate, and spread 3/4 of the whipped cream over it. Scatter half of the berries over, and place the second meringue on top. Spoon remaining cream onto the center of the meringue, and heap remaining berries on top. Dust the top with confectioners' sugar.
• Slice the vacherin with a thin sharp knife, and serve immediately with red raspberry sauce on the side.

RASPBERRY VACHERIN

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 190 degrees F.
• Whip the egg whites until fluffy using a standing or hand held mixer. While on high speed, add 1/2 of the sugar. Slow to low speed and add the remainder of the sugar. Beat for 3 more minutes.
• Add the raspberry powder by hand and mix with a spatula. Place the mixture into a pastry bag. Place a piece of parchment paper onto a baking sheet. Using the pastry bag, create round domes with the mixture.
• Place in the oven at for 2 1/2 hours. Keep oven on. Remove from the oven and scoop out the insides with a spoon. Place back onto baking sheet and cook again for 1 hour at 190 degrees F.
• Let cool and store in a dry place.
• For Raspberry Sauce:
• Blend 1 basket of fresh raspberries with sugar to taste. (Frozen raspberries may be substituted).

WARM VACHERIN

Steps:

• Preheat the broiler and position a rack 8 to 9 inches below the heat.
• If the Vacherin box is stapled together, simply place it on a sheet pan. If the box is glued together, wrap a piece of aluminum foil tightly around the bottom and sides (not the top) before placing it on a sheet pan. (Yes, you will be broiling the cheese in the box.) With a small sharp knife, remove and discard the top rind of the cheese. Pour the white wine over the cheese.
• Broil the cheese for 2 to 3 minutes, watching carefully so the box doesn't catch on fire. Remove from the oven, sprinkle generously with fleur de sel and pepper, and serve immediately with toasted breads and cornichons. I put a small spoon in the cheese for people to help themselves.

FROZEN VACHERIN TORTE WITH RHUBARB CREAM AND STRAWBERRIES

Steps:

• For meringues:
• Position racks in top third and center of oven and preheat to 250°F. Using 8-inch-diameter bowl or plate as guide, firmly trace 2 circles onto 1 sheet of parchment paper and 1 circle onto second sheet of parchment. Place papers, marked side down, on 2 baking sheets. Spray paper with nonstick spray.
• Using electric mixer, beat egg whites in large bowl until frothy. Add cream of tartar and salt; beat until soft peaks form. Beat in sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, then beat until whites are stiff and glossy. Beat in vanilla. Working in batches, spoon meringue into large pastry bag fitted with 1/2-inch plain tip. Starting in center of each traced circle and holding tip just above paper, pipe meringue in spirals to fill circles, forming 3 rounds.
• Bake meringues until firm, dry, and pale golden, about 2 hours. Turn off oven; leave meringues in oven with door closed at least 4 hours or overnight.
• For rhubarb cream:
• Combine rhubarb, strawberries, 1/2 cup sugar, water, and lemon juice in saucepan. Bring to boil, stirring to dissolve sugar. Reduce heat and simmer until rhubarb is very tender, about 15 minutes. Puree mixture in processor. Chill until cold, about 1 hour.
• Whisk yolks and 1/3 cup sugar in large metal bowl to blend. Set bowl over saucepan of simmering water (do not allow bowl to touch water). Whisk until mixture thickens and instant-read thermometer registers 140°F for 3 minutes, about 7 minutes total. Chill mixture until cool, about 15 minutes. Gently fold rhubarb mixture into yolk mixture. Using electric mixer, beat whipping cream and vanilla in another large bowl until stiff peaks form. Fold cream into rhubarb mixture in 2 additions.
• Place 1 meringue disk in 9-inch-diameter springform pan. Spread 1/3 of rhubarb cream (about 1 1/2 cups) over meringue, leaving 1/2-inch plain border. Top with second meringue disk, then 1/3 of rhubarb cream. Top with remaining meringue disk and rhubarb cream (cream will not spread to sides of pan). Freeze until cream is firm, about 6 hours. (Can be made 4 days ahead. Cover with foil; keep frozen.)
• Release cake pan sides. Serve torte with sweetened strawberries, if desired.

VACHERIN

Steps:

• The Meringue Discs: Separate the whites from the yolks of egg, sift the flour, sift the chocolate powder. Heat the oven to 225 degrees F. Grease and dust a cookie sheet with flour. Place a plain nozzle in a piping bag.
• Make the meringues by whisking in a large bowl the whites of eggs until very stiff. Beat in the salt and water, and gradually start beating in the sugar little by little (if this is done too quickly the whites will lose their bulk and turn almost liquid). Fold in the last tablespoon of sugar. The mixture should now have a good gloss and be very "peaky". Now place the glistening white meringue mixture into the forcing bag and pipe it into two 9-inch circles (being the same diameter as the cake) on the cookie sheet and dust with the chocolate powder. The remaining mixture can then be piped into small animal shapes as decoration.
• Place the meringue mixture immediately into the preheated oven (225 degrees F.) on the middle shelf and bake for 2 1/2 hours. When ready the discs and animals should lift easily from the baking sheet and have a hollow sound when gently tapped, these can be cooled on a wire rack until required. They can also be stored in an airtight tin for several days, should you want to prepare this dessert ahead of time.
• Cream Filling: Whip the cream until stiff and divide the cream into 2 bowls.
• The almonds can be placed on a cookie sheet and broiled until golden brown and cooled. The sponge cake can now be split in 2 and the base lightly soaked with rum.
• Assembly: Place the base of the cake on a plate. Spread a little chestnut puree over this and then a good wallop of fresh cream from one bowl.
• Pop the second layer of sponge cake on top and sprinkle with rum.
• To the cream in the first bowl, add more of the chestnut puree and beat in very thoroughly. Blend together with rum. Scoop this on top of the cake.
• Take one layer of the baked cooled meringue and place this on top.
• From the second bowl, take the puree, whipped cream and spread a thick layer of this gently on top of the meringue disc.
• Lower the second round of meringue on top. To the remainder of cream, add the last of the chestnut puree and spread this over the sides of the vacherin and a thin layer over the top, using a palette knife.
• Gently press the flaked almonds over the sides. Decorate the top with meringue animals and dust with the chocolate powder.

VACHERIN WITH CHAMOMILE-POACHED NECTARINES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Trace a 9-inch circle onto 2 pieces of parchment paper with a pencil. Turn paper over, and place each circle on a baking sheet; set aside.
• Put egg whites and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on low speed until frothy. Beat in sugar, 2 to 3 tablespoons at a time. Gradually raise speed to medium-high; beat until mixture is glossy and stiff peaks form, about 7 minutes.
• Spread the meringue evenly onto the parchment-paper circles on baking sheets using an offset spatula. Bake until meringue is dry and crisp, 2 to 2 1/2 hours. Meringue layers can be stored at room temperature, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap, up to 1 day.
• Spread half the creme fraiche filling over 1 meringue disk. Top with half of the poached nectarines. Place remaining meringue disk on top. Top with remaining filling and nectarines. Garnish with chamomile flowers, if desired.

ROASTED ASPARAGUS WITH RED ONIONS, BASIL, AND VACHERIN

Steps:

• In a bowl, combine the asparagus and onion, and toss in the oil. Season with salt and pepper. Place the asparagus and onion on a grill or in a hot grill pan and cook until slightly charred, 5 to 10 minutes. Return the asparagus and onion to a mixing bowl, toss in the vinegar and basil, and set aside.
• Grill the bread until golden brown on one side only. Remove and lightly rub the toasted side with the garlic. Top the garlic toast with the asparagus and onion, and follow with the cheese. Place the open-faced sandwiches on the grill, cover, and remove when the cheese is just starting to melt. Garnish with the thyme. Cut each sandwich in half and serve.

BERRY VACHERIN

Steps:

• MAKE THE PAVLOVA AND THE CREAM:.
• Preheat the oven to 200ºF with two racks centered.
• Trace a 9-inch circle on each of 2 pieces of parchment paper.
• Turn over, and use each piece to line a baking sheet.
• Set aside.
• Place egg whites in the clean bowl (copper, if possible) of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.
• Beat on high speed until soft peaks form, about 2 minutes.
• Add 1/4 cup granulated sugar; beat to combine.
• Gradually add remaining 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, until whites are very stiff and glossy.
• Add 1 teaspoon vanilla; beat just until combined.
• Divide batter between the traced circles, and use an icing spatula or rubber spatula to spread evenly to the edges of the circles.
• Place baking sheets on separate racks in the oven, and bake about 3 1/2 hours, switching the upper and lower sheets every 30 minutes.
• When fully cooked, the meringues should be white and dried and crisp on the outside, yet soft and somewhat chewy inside; test by tapping the center lightly with a fork.
• Remove from oven, and let cool completely on baking sheets.
• Combine cream, remaining 1 teaspoon vanilla and 2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar in a chilled metal bowl; whip until cream is stiff but soft.
• Place one meringue on a serving plate, and spread 3/4 of the whipped cream over it.
• Scatter half of the berries over, and place the second meringue on top.
• Spoon remaining cream onto the center of the meringue, and heap remaining berries on top.
• Dust the top with confectioners' sugar.
• Slice the vacherin with a thin sharp knife, and serve immediately with red raspberry sauce on the side.
• RED RASPBERRY SAUCE:
• Combine raspberries, sugar, lemon juice, and salt in a small nonreaactive saucepan over low heat.
• Cook until berries release their juice an just start to break down, about 5 minutes.
• Use a rubber spatula to press berries through a fine sieve; discard solids.
• Let cool, and refrigerate until ready to use.

STRAWBERRY VACHERIN (VILLA9TROIS, MONTREUIL)

Steps:

• Purée half the strawberries with the lemon juice, sugar and liqueur to create a smooth, pourable sauce. Break the meringues into bite-sized pieces. Whisk the cream and confectioners' sugar to stiff peaks. Into four tall glasses wide enough for spoons to easily dig into, put alternating layers of sliced strawberry, strawberry sauce, meringue pieces and whipped cream. Finish with a scoop of sorbet and serve at once.

VACHERIN MONT D'OR WITH RIPE PEARS AND DRAGEED HAZELNUTS

Steps:

• To make the drageed hazelnuts, place the sugar in a small saucepan and pour the water around the edge to moisten it completely. Bring this to a boil and then add the hazelnuts. Stir continuously until all the water is cooked away and the nuts are coated with a sugar frosting.
• Turn the heat to medium and continue cooking and stirring to re-caramelize the sugar and make them shiny. As soon as all the sugar has turned to a thin coating of caramel on the nuts, let them cool 30 seconds then dump them onto a slightly greased cool surface like a piece of marble.
• Being careful not to burn yourself, separate them into individual glazed nuts. Let cool. Store in an airtight container.
• On small plates place a few slices of the French bread and pears and place a spoonful of the cheese on the plate. Scatter the hazelnuts around the plate, about 5 or 6 per serving.

CHOCOLATE AND VANILLA VACHERIN

Steps:

• 1 2/3 cups heavy cream
• 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1/2 vanilla bean
• The process of baking meringue is a cross between baking it and drying it. Preheat the oven to 225 degrees F.
• Prepare the meringue cake layer: Place the egg whites in a large mixing bowl and whip with an electric mixer on medium speed until foamy. Make a French meringue by adding the granulated sugar 1 tablespoon at a time. Increase the mixer speed to medium-high and whip to stiff but not dry peaks, about 7 minutes. Delicately fold in the powdered sugar with a rubber spatula. It is important to fold as gently as possible to avoid deflating the meringue.
• Place the meringue in a pastry bag fitted with a 3/4-inch plain tip. Draw 2 (8-inch) circles on a sheet of parchment paper by tracing around the outside of an 8-inch cake pan with a pen. Turn the paper over so the drawing is face down (so that the ink does not bake into the meringue) and place on a baking sheet.
• To pipe the disks, hold the pastry bag at a slight angle about 1 1/2 inches above the parchment paper. This height and angle allows the piped meringue to hold the full shape of the 3/4-inch tip. Start at the center of the circle and pipe the meringue in a spiral to the edge of the outline. (I work counter-clockwise because I am right-handed.) If the meringue breaks while you are piping it, just continue where it broke. If any air bubbles appear on the disk, go back and fill them in with the extra meringue left in the piping bag. It takes practice to get the disks perfectly round. Don't worry if yours are slightly misshapen. You can gently scrape away the imperfections after the disks are baked.
• At this time, pipe additional swirls that are about 2-inches wide and the height of your cake mold. These will be used to decorate the outside of the cake.
• Bake the meringue disks until they are firm to the touch, about 1 hour. If the meringue begins to take on color while baking, lower the oven temperature by 50 degrees F (10 C). Remove the baking sheet from the oven and place on a wire rack until the meringue disks have completely cooled. If you have the time, turn off the oven and cool the meringue on the baking sheet in the oven. This will take about 1 hour and will allow the meringue to dry completely.
• While the meringue disks are baking, prepare the ice cream.
• Prepare the ice cream and allow enough time for them to harden in the freezer.
• Have the ice bath ready before you begin. To prepare an ice bath, fill a 4-quart bowl with ice cubes. Generously sprinkle salt over the ice and add water to cover the ice. Place a clean, dry 2-quart bowl over the ice bath.
• To prepare the chocolate ice cream base: Heat the milk and chopped chocolate together in a 2-quart heavy-bottomed saucepan (this will keep the milk from burning) over medium-high heat until bubbles form around the edge of the pan. While the milk is heating, combine the sugar and egg yolks and whisk until thoroughly incorporated and thick. Temper the egg mixture by pouring about half of the hot milk into it and whisk well. Now pour the tempered egg mixture into the remaining hot milk and chocolate. Cook over medium-high heat until slightly thickened, stirring constantly with a rubber spatula. The mixture has finished cooking when it is thick enough to coat the back of the spatula, about 3 to 5 minutes. Use the following method to tell if it is finished: Quickly dip the spatula into the hot mixture and hold it horizontally in front of you. With the tip of your finger, wipe a clean line down the center of the spatula. If the mixture holds and does not fill in the line, it is ready to be removed from the heat. If the line fills with liquid, the mixture must be cooked a little longer. Repeat the test every 30 seconds until ready. At no time should the mixture begin to boil. If you see bubbles begin to form around the edge of the pan, remove the pan from the heat and whisk the mixture thoroughly to cool it down. Once the mixture has finished cooking, pour it into a clean bowl and set aside to cool. If you want to reduce the cooling time, you can cool the chocolate ice cream base over an ice bath. When the mixture is cool, spin it according to the type of ice cream machine you are using. The ice cream is ready when it is creamy and smooth, like the consistency of soft-serve ice cream. Place the ice cream in an airtight container and store in the freezer until ready to use.
• While the chocolate ice cream base is cooling, prepare the vanilla ice cream base. The technique is the same as above; heat the milk, cream, honey and vanilla bean in a nonreactive 2-quart heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat until bubbles form around the edge. Before adding the vanilla bean, use a sharp paring knife to slice the vanilla bean in half lengthwise. Separate the seeds from the skin by scraping the blade of the knife along the inside of the bean. Add the seeds and the skin to the mixture. While the milk is heating, combine the sugar and egg yolks and whisk until thoroughly incorporated and thick. Temper the egg mixture, then pour the tempered egg mixture into the hot milk and cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until slightly thickened enough to coat the back of the spatula.
• Remove the pan from the heat and pour the mixture into the bowl placed over the ice bath. Remove the vanilla bean. Stir the mixture occasionally to distribute the cooler parts. When completely cooled, remove the bowl from the ice bath and puree the mixture until smooth with an immersion blender, food processor, or blender. Spin the ice cream in your ice cream machine and store in an airtight container in the freezer until ready to use.
• The next step is to mold the ice cream into the cake pan. Line a cake pan with parchment. You may need to slightly soften the ice cream. Make a 1 1/2?inch thick layer of the chocolate ice cream in the bottom of the cake pan. Make a 1 1/2?inch thick layer of the vanilla ice cream on top of the chocolate. Place the cake pan in the freezer and let harden. If you want to decorate the ice sculpture with ice cream balls, use an ice cream scoop to shape the remaining ice cream into ice cream balls of various sizes. Place the scoops on a parchment paper lined baking sheet and place in the freezer until hardened.
• Once the meringue disks are baked and the ice cream is molded, it is time to assemble the Vacherin. Remove the cake pan from the freezer. It may be necessary to dip the pan in warm water for a few seconds to unmold the ice cream. Once unmolded, place a meringue disk on top of the molded chocolate ice cream. Cover with a plate or cardboard cake circle and flip so the vanilla is now on top. Place a meringue disk on top of the vanilla and place the molded cake back in the freezer.
• To make the whipped cream: Use a sharp knife to slice the vanilla bean in half lengthwise. Separate the seeds from the outside skin by scraping the blade of the knife along the inside of the bean. Place the heavy cream, sugar, and vanilla seeds in a medium-size bowl and whip to stiff peaks with an electric mixer on medium-high speed.
• Remove the Vacherin from the freezer. Fill a pastry bag fitted with a 3/4-inch star tip with the whipped cream and use it to decorate the top and side. Using a turntable will make this task easier. Keep the Vacherin in the freezer until ready to serve.
• It is easiest to cut the cake with a hot serrated knife. To heat the knife, dip it in a tall container filled with hot water before each cut and wipe off the excess water.