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Kardinalschnitten
Meringue and sponge coffee slices
Kardinalschnitten: Viennese meringue and sponge slices filled with coffee cream
AustrianKardinalschnitten, 'cardinal slices', were created in Vienna with the colours of the Church in mind: white meringue and yellow sponge baked side by side in stripes. In Viennese cafés they are a light, summery choice with an afternoon coffee. Two baked sheets of alternating stripes sandwich a soft coffee cream, and the result is crisp, airy and cool at the same time. A common mistake is overfilling with cream that has not been stabilised; it squeezes out when you cut. Here a little mascarpone keeps the cream firm without gelatine. Chef's tip: pipe the meringue stripes first and the sponge in the gaps after, so the sponge does not spread flat.
- Total time
- 75 min
- Difficulty
- hard
- Serves
- 10
Ingredients
For the meringue
- 1 pinch salt
- 6 ½ oz caster sugar
For the sponge
- 3 eggs
- 2 ⅛ oz caster sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla paste
- 2 ⅛ oz plain floursifted
For the coffee cream
- 2 tbsp instant coffee
- 1 tbsp hot water
- 1 ¾ cups whipping creamwell chilled
- 3 ½ oz mascarponecold
- 1 ⅜ oz icing sugar
To finish
- 2 tbsp icing sugar
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Method
0/8 doneStep 1: Heat the oven to 350°F (325°F fan). Line two baking trays with baking paper and draw a 30 × 10 cm rectangle on each, then turn the paper over.
5 minStep 2: Whisk 6 egg whites with 1 pinch salt to soft peaks, then add 6 ½ oz caster sugar gradually and whisk to a stiff, shiny meringue that holds a sharp point. Spoon into a piping bag with a 1.5 cm plain nozzle.
8 minStep 3: Pipe three lengthwise stripes of meringue in each rectangle, along both edges and down the middle, leaving two gaps about 2 cm wide.
5 minStep 4: For the sponge, whisk 3 eggs, 2 egg yolks, 2 ⅛ oz caster sugar and 1 tsp vanilla paste for 6–8 minutes until thick, pale and the whisk leaves a trail that holds for 3 seconds. Fold in 2 ⅛ oz plain flour gently and pipe or spoon into the gaps between the meringue.
10 minStep 5: Dust with a little of the 2 tbsp icing sugar and bake for 25–30 minutes, until the sponge is golden and springy and the meringue is pale beige and dry on the outside. Cool on the trays, then peel off the paper.
30 minStep 6: Dissolve 2 tbsp instant coffee in 1 tbsp hot water and cool. Whip 1 ¾ cups whipping cream, 3 ½ oz mascarpone, 1 ⅜ oz icing sugar and the coffee until it holds firm peaks; stop as soon as it does, or it turns grainy.
4 minStep 7: Lay one sheet flat side up, spread the coffee cream about 2.5 cm thick and put the second sheet on top, pretty side up. Chill for at least 2 hours.
5 minStep 8: Dust with the rest of the icing sugar and cut into slices with a sharp serrated knife, using a gentle sawing motion.
3 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 340 kcal
- Protein
- 6 g
- Carbs
- 33 g
- Fat
- 21 g
- Fibre
- 0 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does kardinalschnitten take?
- About 75 minutes in total: 45 minutes to prepare and 30 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 10 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- What can I use instead of caster sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
- What can I use instead of eggs?
- 1 tbsp ground flaxseed + 3 tbsp water per egg, left for 5 minutes (baking only; vegan).
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