Modern seasonal dessert: Honey-mascarpone meringue cake with roasted pears and cranberry-orange compote - photo 1
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Modern seasonal dessert: Honey-mascarpone meringue cake with roasted pears and cranberry-orange compote

Desserts Cakes and Bakes 90 min Medium 9 wyświetleń ~50.67 PLN - (0)
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Description

A modern, seasonal dessert combining crispy meringue, velvety honey-mascarpone cream, roasted, aromatic pears, and a slightly tart caramel cranberry-orange compote. The energetic contrast of textures — crunchy meringue, rich cream, and warm, soft fruits — makes the dish visually appealing and unique in flavor. Inspired by autumn-winter flavors: honey, cranberry, and roasted pears pair well with the delicate mascarpone cheese, while decorative caramel shards and toasted nuts add an impressive appearance. I recommend serving it slightly warm (pears and compote) on a cold meringue-cream base; perfect for an elegant dessert after dinner or for special occasions.

Ingredients Used

Ingredients (17)

Servings:
6
  • Egg white 120 g
  • Cukier drobny 200 g
  • Almond flour (ground almonds) 80 g
  • Mascarpone 250 g
  • 30% heavy cream 200 g
  • wildflower honey 60 g
  • Agar-agar 4 g
  • Pear 2.2 szt.
  • Butter 30 g
  • Fresh cranberry 150 g
  • Brown sugar 50 g
  • Orange juice 60 ml
  • Powdered sugar 40 g
  • Vanilla extract 5 g
  • 🌿 Przyprawy
  • Salt 0.0 szczypt
  • ✨ Opcjonalne
  • Roasted hazelnuts 50 g
  • Edible gold flakes or edible flowers 10 g
💰 Szacowany koszt dania: ~50.67 PLN (8.44 PLN/porcję)

💡 Kliknij na składnik aby oznaczyć jako użyty

Preparation steps

Meringue

1

Prepare the baking tray: line it with parchment paper in a circle with a diameter of 22-24 cm or draw a circle on the paper as a template. Preheat the oven to 120°C (top and bottom heat). Make sure the mixing bowl is absolutely dry and clean (without grease).

Use a metal or glass bowl and a stand or hand mixer. A 26 cm diameter baking sheet is best; a mold is not needed — the meringue bakes loosely on the paper. Moisture or fat will interfere with whipping the egg whites.
2

Pour the egg whites into a bowl and add a pinch of salt. Start beating on low speed until the egg whites become frothy (about 1-2 minutes). Gradually increase the speed to medium-high and beat until soft peaks form (when the tip slightly droops when the whisk is lifted).

Ingredients: Egg white, Salt
Use a mixer with a whisk attachment. If you don't have a mixer, whisk vigorously for 6-8 minutes. Soft peaks mean that the meringue holds its shape, but the peak is not completely stiff.
3

While maintaining the foam, gradually add the granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon (about 10-15 g) every 10-15 seconds, while continuously whisking. Continue until all the sugar has been added, and the foam becomes thick, glossy, and forms stiff peaks (check: the foam does not drip from the whisk).

Ingredients: Cukier drobny
Add the sugar slowly — that's the key to a smooth, glossy meringue. Be careful not to overbeat the egg whites (do not whip longer than necessary).
4

Gently fold the almond flour into the whipped meringue using a wide spatula, making movements from bottom to top, until the mixture is uniform. Transfer the mixture onto parchment paper, forming a round mound with a diameter of 22-24 cm and slightly flattening the center to create a 'nest' for the cream.

Ingredients: Almond flour (ground almonds)
Use a silicone spatula; mix slowly to avoid deflating the foam. The mixture should be thick but light. If the mixture falls, the meringue will be less fluffy after baking.
5

Place the meringue in the preheated oven and bake at 120°C for 60 minutes. After that time, turn off the oven and leave the meringue inside to cool completely (at least 1 hour) — this will help the meringue dry out and prevent it from collapsing.

Use the middle rack for baking. Do not open the oven during the first 60 minutes of baking. The meringue is ready when it feels dry to the touch and easily comes off the paper.

Honey-Mascarpone Cream

6

Prepare the agar-agar: in a small saucepan, mix the agar-agar with 30 g of water and heat over low heat, stirring until it dissolves (2-3 minutes). Remove from heat and set aside for a moment to cool, but do not let it set.

Ingredients: Agar-agar
Use a small saucepan and a silicone spoon. The agar must boil with the water for a while to activate — watch and stir, do not boil too hard.
7

In a bowl, place the mascarpone, add honey, vanilla extract, and powdered sugar. Mix briefly with a wooden spoon or spatula until the mixture becomes smooth. In a separate bowl, whip the chilled heavy cream to soft peaks.

Ingredients: Mascarpone, wildflower honey, Powdered sugar, Vanilla extract, 30% heavy cream
Use a mixer on low speed to whip the cream. Do not whip the cream to stiff peaks; soft peaks are sufficient, as the mascarpone will add thickness.
8

Gently pour the dissolved agar into the light mascarpone (stirring continuously), and then carefully fold it into the whipped cream with a spatula, using an up-and-down motion. The cream should be uniform, smooth, and slightly fluffy. Store in the refrigerator until assembly (about 15-20 minutes) for the agar to start setting gently.

Ingredients: Mascarpone, 30% heavy cream, wildflower honey, Agar-agar
If the cream is too runny, set it aside in a cooler place for 15-20 minutes — the agar will improve the consistency. Use a bowl made of plastic or metal.

Baked pears

9

Preheat the oven to 190°C (top-bottom). Wash the pears, cut them in half, and remove the cores. Place a piece of butter (about 5 g) on each half and drizzle with a bit of honey (about 5 g per half). Arrange the pear halves on the baking sheet cut side up.

Ingredients: Pear, Butter, wildflower honey
Use a baking tray lined with parchment paper. If the pears are very hard, bake for 20-25 minutes; if they are semi-hard, bake for 15-18 minutes. The pears should be soft when pierced but hold their shape.
10

Place the pears in the oven and bake for 15-25 minutes depending on the firmness of the fruit, until they are golden and soft (check with a fork — it should go in smoothly). Once baked, set aside; they can remain slightly warm for assembly.

Ingredients: Pear, Butter, wildflower honey
Check the softness starting from the 12th minute every 3-4 minutes. Do not overbake, as they will lose their shape and become too soft.

Cranberry-Orange Compote

11

In a small saucepan, combine the cranberries, brown sugar, and orange juice. Heat over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves and the fruits begin to burst. Reduce the heat and cook for 6-8 minutes until the compote thickens and becomes glossy. Taste; if it's too sour, add a teaspoon of honey.

Ingredients: Fresh cranberry, Brown sugar, Orange juice, wildflower honey
Use a heavy-bottomed pot to avoid burning. The compote should be soft but not completely broken down — a few whole fruits look nice on the plate.

Assembly and decoration

12

On a flat plate or serving platter, carefully place the baked meringue. In the center, evenly spread the honey-mascarpone cream (use a spatula or spoon to fill the 'nest'). On top of the cream, arrange the halves of the baked pears. Next to or partially on the fruit, spoon 2-3 tablespoons of warm cranberry compote. Sprinkle everything with toasted hazelnuts and optionally edible gold flakes or flowers for decoration.

Ingredients: Egg white, Cukier drobny, Almond flour (ground almonds), Mascarpone, 30% heavy cream, Pear, Fresh cranberry, Roasted hazelnuts, Edible gold flakes or edible flowers
Assemble just before serving to keep the meringue crispy. Use a wide spatula to transfer the meringue. Additionally, you can add toasted hazelnuts to enhance the flavor/texture.
13

Optionally: prepare thin caramel shards (salty or classic) — melt 50 g of sugar in a saucepan over medium heat without stirring, until it reaches an amber color, pour it thinly onto a silicone mat and let it set, then break into decorative pieces and use to decorate the dessert.

Ingredients: Brown sugar
When working with caramel, be cautious — it is very hot. Use a saucepan with a thick bottom and a silicone mat or parchment paper.

Serving

14

Serve the dessert immediately: the meringue should be crispy on the outside and slightly soft under the cream; the cream velvety, and the pears warm. Leave some compote on the plate for drizzling and a few scattered nuts for contrast.

It's best to serve a portion of 1/6 of the cake for 6 people. If you want to prepare the components in advance: the meringue and compote can be made the day before, and the cream just before serving.

Fun Fact

💡

Meringue has its roots in French and Swiss cuisine, but its popularity can also be attributed to Anglo-Saxon cuisine; the addition of ground almonds creates a version similar to the French 'dacquoise', resulting in an interesting mix of textures.

Best for

Świąteczny obiad Impreza w sezonie jesienno-zimowym Eleganckie przyjęcie

Tips

🍽️ Serving

Serve the meringue at room temperature or with slightly warm pears and compote. To maintain the contrast of textures, do not prepare the entire dessert too far in advance — assemble just before serving. Garnish the portion with fresh edible flowers or thin leaves of lemon balm for freshness.

🥡 Storage

Store the meringue separately in an airtight container at room temperature (up to 48 hours). Keep the cream in the refrigerator for up to 48 hours. Baked pears and compote can be briefly reheated in the microwave or on the stovetop before serving. Once the ingredients are combined, the meringue loses its crunch within a few hours.

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