It's Winter, no bake, frozen Snow Queen Dessert
One of my January 2015 recipes for National Foundation for Celiac Awareness, now Beyond Celiac. A friend just reminded me she made it for recent family party and it was devoured. I've made it for summer parties as well as winter parties.
I know I made this on NH's ABC WMUR Cooks Corner, but YouTube doesn't have it.
Snow Queen made into 'snow balls' – just right for this winter season or an easy summer dessert, that the kids could even make themselves.
One of the recipes in my Delicious Gluten Free Cooking ebook.
This is a dessert I've made for years. So very easy, quick to make and freeze, normally naturally gluten free and very popular. I buy the plastic tub of 5-6 oz of meringues, line the empty tub with plastic wrap and use it as the container/mold for the dessert. It looks quite dramatic on the dessert table with a raspberry sauce or chocolate ganache sauce , either surrounding it or flowing over the top - just eat it before it melts everywhere. However, for many of us, desserts to feed a bundle of people is more than we want tempting us in the house so smaller is better! Especially if there is only two of us at home. Individual portions are becoming more popular as portion control plus looking prettier on a plate. Kids love a dessert made just for them. I took my regular Snow Queen recipe and made just a quarter of it which became a quick yummy dessert for two of us. Made in minutes, frozen within an hour or two so great for unexpected guests. I used a #12 large scoop roughly 1/3 cup capacity, but you could make smaller scoops, serve several small scoops on each plate with different liqueurs and different sauces.
This is truly a dessert made in heaven with the slight crunch from the meringues, the mild almond liqueur flavor and the punch of flavor from the raspberries. I have normally made this with brandy, but one day having run out of brandy I used Amaretto and far preferred it. You could always try hazelnut liqueur to marry with the raspberries, or a coffee or chocolate liqueur and serve this with my chocolate mousse recipe before whipping the mousse. Try orange juice concentrate, grated orange rind and orange liqueur.
If you are dairy free, try whipping the solid coconut milk cream from top of chilled full fat, not 'lite' Asian style coconut milk. I've got it sitting in fridge ready to try, just haven't got there yet.
Old photo, made as a loaf, sliced, orange segments, orange liqueur, orange chocolate ganache and chocolate orange slices. Get the idea that I like chocolate orange!
For 2 people or a crowd. Quantities in parentheses are for tub of 5-6 oz of meringues.
¼ c + 2tbsp , 90 ml ( (1½ c, 12 fl oz, 375 ml) whipping or heavy cream
2 tsp, 10 ml (3 tbsp, 45 ml) brandy or amaretto - almond flavored liqueur (add 1 tsp almond extract with amaretto)
1+1/2 tsp, 8 ml (2 tbsp 30 ml) sugar
About 5 meringues, count how many meringues in 5-6 oz (~150g) container and use ¼ of them. (5-6oz container of meringues ($3.00) or meringues made with 3 egg whites. )
1. Whisk cream, sugar and liqueur until stiff.
2. Break meringues roughly with your fingers into small pieces but not crushed fine, and fold meringue into cream. Taste and add more sugar if you require it. Realize that any frozen dessert tends to need more sugar than room temperature dessert.
3. I used #12 scoop and made 2 balls. Put on plate lined with plastic wrap and freeze. For whole recipe using 5-6 oz tub, make 8 x #12 scoop balls or pour into any shape container that has been lined with Saran Wrap – about the same size as a 9” pie plate but a bit deeper, roughly 4 cup (1 ltr) capacity. Line heart shape or other fancy shaped pans with saran wrap, or line small individual pans. Mix will take on the shape of whatever it is frozen in and will remain in that shape as you turn it out. It will melt rapidly in the heat. I simply line the meringue container with saran wrap and then use it to freeze Snow Queen.
4. Freeze, but realize that it will not freeze solid. Remove from freezer, invert onto serving dish, remove saran wrap. Don’t prepare more than 1 week in advance as the meringues will lose their texture.
5. Decorate with raspberries or serve with raspberry sauce. Most meringue containers have hollow in base that becomes top when you turn it out and lets you put a ‘puddle’ of sauce on top of Snow Queen, and dribble down the sides to puddle on serving plate.
