Merengon cake with black sapote mousse

Merengon is a traditional dessert from Colombia. The base is the same as a pavlova, but in Colombia they cook it at a slightly higher temperature and for a shorter period of time to achieve a crusty outside and a gooey inside.

Credit: Taste of the Tropics

• serves

  4

• prep

  15 minutes

• cook

  1:30 hour

• difficulty

  Mid

Ingredients

Merengon

• 3 egg whites, at room temperature
• 135 g caster sugar
• 1 tsp cornflour
• ¼ vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped

Fruit toppings

• 1 soursop (guanabana), peeled and diced
• 1 yellow sapote, seeded and flesh diced
• 1 star fruit, thinly sliced
• 1 bilimbi, diced

Black sapote mousse

• 1 black sapote
• 100 g coconut sugar
• 30 g cocoa
• 100 g coconut cream
• ½ vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped

To serve

• 100 ml whipping cream
• ¼ vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped
• Shredded coconut
• Lime zest

Standing time: 1 hr

Just like pavlova, you can use any seasonal fruit for the topping, but in Colombia, soursop is mandatory, along with strawberries.

Instructions

1. To prepare the merengon, preheat the oven to 120˚C. Line 2 baking trays with baking paper.
   
2. Using a handheld whisk, whisk the egg whites and sugar until soft peaks form. Add the cornflour and vanilla bean seeds and whisk for another 20 seconds or until well combined. Spoon 8 large dollops of the meringue onto the lined trays and spread into 10 cm rounds. Bake for 1.5 hours, then turn off the oven and leave to cool completely.
   
3. Meanwhile, to prepare the black sapote mousse, scrape the flesh from the fruit into a bowl. Add the remaining ingredients and whisk until well combined. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
   
4. When ready to serve, place the whipping cream and scraped vanilla bean seeds in a bowl and whisk until soft peaks form.
   
5. To assemble, place one merengon on each plate, then spread with a little whipped cream. Repeat the layer, then top with the prepared fruit, a sprinkle of shredded coconut and a little lime zest. Serve with a scoop of black sapote mousse on the side.

This recipe and image is from Taste of the Tropics - Family and friends.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.