Preheat the
oven to 350F, Gas 4. Grease two 20cm sandwich tins and line the bases
with greaseproof paper. Whisk the egg whites in a large bowl until they
hold stiff peaks, then gradually whisk in the caster sugar a tablespoon
at a time, whisking well after each addition. Continue whisking the
meringue mixture for a minute or two until very stiff, then fold in the
vanilla essence, vinegar and ground hazelnuts. Divide the meringue
mixture between the prepared sandwich tins and spread level. Bake for
50-60 minutes, until crisp. Remove the meringues from the tins and leave
to cool on a wire rack.
While the
meringues are cooling, make the sauce. Purée the raspberries with the
icing sugar and orange liqueur in a blender or food processor, then
press the purée through a fine nylon sieve to remove any pips. Chill the
sauce until ready to serve. Whip the cream until it forms soft peaks,
then gently fold in the raspberries. Sandwich the meringue rounds
together with the raspberry cream.
Dust the top
of the gateau with icing sugar. Decorate with raspberries and mint
sprigs and serve with the raspberry sauce. You can buy roasted chopped
hazelnuts in supermarkets. Otherwise toast whole hazelnuts under the
broiler and rub off the flaky skins using a clean dish towel. To chop
finely, whizz in a food processor for a few moments. Fresh redcurrants
make a good alternative to raspberries. Pick over the fruit, then pull
each sprig gently through the prongs of a fork to release the
redcurrants. Add them to the whipped cream with a little icing sugar, to
taste. A rich,
hazelnut meringue filled with cream and raspberries makes a wonderful
dessert.
