Carrot Cake with Braised Pineapple, Coconut Milk Ice Cream, Meringue and Cashews
Ingredients
- 1¾ c Flour
- ¾ tsp. Baking Soda
- ¾ tsp. Baking Powder
- 1½ tsp. Cinnamon
- ½ tsp. Kosher Salt
- 3 ea. Eggs
- 1 c Vegetable Oil
- 10 oz. Carrots, shredded
- Braised Pineapple, recipe follows
- Meringue topping, recipe follows
- Coconut Ice Cream, prepared
- Candied Cashews or Walnuts, prepared
PREPARATION
Sift dry ingredients together; set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, whip eggs and sugar until light and ribbons form. Slowly add oil, and beat until emulsified.
Squeeze excess liquid from carrots, and fold into the batter. Pour batter into silicone, smooth-sided cups, and bake in a 350°F heated oven for about 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
To plate: place one cake on a desired plate, and pipe meringue on top. Pipe stars onto a baking sheet, bake at 350°F for a few minutes to set and brown with a hand torch. Garnish with meringue, pineapple and its braising juices, a sphere of ice cream and candied nuts.
To make meringue: whisk four egg whites with ¼ cup sugar in a bowl over simmering water. When the mixture is very hot to the touch, remove from the heat, add a pinch of salt and ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract, and beat until shiny and holds a peak.
To make braised pineapple: halve ½ of a peeled and cored pineapple, and place in a baking dish. Sprinkle both quarters with ¼ cup brown sugar on top followed by 2 tablespoons cubed butter, a little orange zest and a few dashes of cinnamon. Cover with foil, vent with a few slits and braise in a 250°F oven for one hour. Slice into thick pieces, and keep warm in braising liquid.
Chef Stephen Collucci, The Tavern and Sweetsies by SC, New York City, from Food Fanatics® Magazine.