3 egg yolks
¾ cup (140 g) granulated sugar
2 Tbsp strong coffee, cooled
1¼ cups (300 ml) whipping cream
¼ tsp vanilla bean seeds, or 1 tsp vanilla sugar or extract
Using a handheld mixer, beat the egg yolks and sugar together until pale in color. Gently stir in the cooled coffee. In a separate bowl, whip the cream until fluffy using a handheld mixer. Add the vanilla seeds toward the end. Gently fold the egg mixture into the whipped cream. Spread the mixture over the meringue in the pan. Cover the pan with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and put the cake in the freezer overnight.
Decoration
1 oz (30 g) bittersweet baking chocolate, chopped or grated
icing sugar
Remove the cake from the freezer 10 minutes before serving. While it thaws, sprinkle the chocolate over the cake and place the meringue mountains on top. Finally, sift some icing sugar to dust the mountaintops with snow.
Variations: For a more child-friendly version, skip the coffee in the ice cream. Nuts and pieces of chocolate can also be added to the ice cream. You can make the meringue without cocoa as well.
COCONUT OATMEAL COOKIES
makes 30 cookies
The white anemone, poking its head through the wilted leaves, is yet another sign of spring in Norway. In some places, the entire forest floor is covered in a white carpet. Mini marshmallows, cut diagonally, form the sweet white anemones on these chewy cookies.
Oatmeal cookies
½ cup (110 g) butter, at room temperature
½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
½ cup (100 g) brown sugar
1 egg
1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour
1 cup (100 g) quick-cooking oats
⅓ cup (35 g) unsweetened shredded coconut
½ tsp salt
Preheat the oven to 375ºF (190ºC). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a mixing bowl, whip the butter and sugars together with a whisk until fluffy. Add the egg and whisk well. Stir together the remaining ingredients in a separate bowl, then add them to the butter mixture and stir until combined.
Roll the dough into little balls, approximately 2 tsp each. Flatten them a little on the baking sheet. Bake the cookies for 8 to 10 minutes on the middle rack of the oven. Transfer them to a wire rack to cool.
White anemones
1 egg white
1 tsp lemon juice
approximately 1⅔ cups (200 g) icing sugar
green liquid gel food coloring
90 small marshmallows
small gold sugar pearls
Make the icing with the egg white, lemon juice, and icing sugar according to the instructions on page 188. Put half of the mixture into a piping bag. Add some food coloring to the rest of the icing to make it green, adding a drop or two at a time until it’s the color you want, then fill another piping bag.
Follow the instructions on page 23 to decorate the cookies. Store them in an airtight container.
Variation: Add chopped dried fruit, nuts, or chocolate to the cookie dough.
1. Cut the marshmallows diagonally from one flat end to the other. Each marshmallow will make 2 petals. 2. Pipe a spot of white icing in the middle of the cookie. 3. Place 6 petals, flat side down, in a circle on the icing. Repeat with the rest of the cookies. 4. Pipe a dot of green icing in the middle of the flower. 5. Place gold sugar pearls around the edge of the green dot while it’s still wet. 6. Also place a gold sugar pearl at the base of each petal. It will stick in the marshmallow.
CHOCOLATE ALMOND COOKIE EGGS
makes 25 cookies
The birds are chirping, and you can tell they’re happy spring is here. Siskins lay especially pretty eggs—white or light blue with brown speckles. I make the spots on these egg-shaped cookies with the help of a toothbrush and some cocoa powder. Covered in lemon icing, they’re just right for the season.
Almond cookies
1¾ cups (250 g) almonds
1⅔ cups (200 g) icing sugar
1 Tbsp all-purpose flour
zest of 1 lemon
1 egg white
2 Tbsp lemon juice
Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Grind the almonds in a nut grinder. In a bowl, stir together the ground almonds, icing sugar, flour, and lemon zest. Add the egg white and lemon juice. Using your hands or the dough attachment of a stand mixer, work the dough well until all the ingredients are combined. You’ll find instructions on how to shape the egg cookies on the next page.
Bake the cookies for about 8 minutes on the middle rack of the oven. Transfer them to a wire rack to cool.
Chocolate filling
5 oz (150 g) milk chocolate
When you get to step 5 on the next page, temper the chocolate (see page 187). Transfer to a piping bag.
Lemon icing
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1¼ cups (150 g) icing sugar
blue liquid gel food coloring
For
