Grape, walnut and meringue cake

Name: Grape, walnut and meringue cake
Ingredients: 500 g grapes with small seeds; 400 g flour; 1/4 teaspoon fine salt; 1 packet (10 g) baking powder; 100 g butter; 150 g icing sugar; 2 eggs; 100 ml lukewarm water; 6 egg whites; 150 g icing sugar; 1 tablespoon lemon juice; 100 g walnuts

Dessert - Grape, walnut and meringue cake by Francesca K. - Recipia

Grape, walnut and meringue cake has a thick batter and bakes at 180 °C for 20-25 minutes. In this autumn bake with grapes and meringue, the top browns lightly and the grapes soften among the walnuts. I prefer grapes with thin skins, so they don’t feel too noticeable after baking. Preparation: 25 minutes. Cooking: 25 minutes. Resting: 60 minutes. Total time: 110 minutes. Serves: 12. Approximately 380 kcal and 8 g protein per serving.

Ingredients

For the batter

500 g grapes with small seeds
400 g flour
1/4 teaspoon fine salt
1 packet (10 g) baking powder
100 g butter
150 g icing sugar
2 eggs
100 ml lukewarm water

For the meringue and topping

6 egg whites
150 g icing sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
100 g walnuts

Preparation

1. Wash 500 g grapes, pick the grapes off the stems and leave them to drain. 2. Mix the flour with the salt and baking powder in a bowl. 3. In another bowl, beat the butter at room temperature with 150 g icing sugar until creamy. If the butter is frozen, grate it. 4. Beat in the 2 eggs, then add the mixture to the flour and mix until smooth. 5. Gradually pour in the 100 ml lukewarm water. The batter should be thicker than cake batter and fall slowly. Put it in the fridge while you beat the meringue. 6. Heat the oven to 180 °C and line a 25 × 35 cm pan with baking paper. 7. Beat the 6 egg whites until glossy and stiff. Gradually add 150 g icing sugar, then the lemon juice. Keep beating until the sugar dissolves and the meringue forms glossy, almost stiff peaks. 8. Pour the batter into the pan and level it. Spread the meringue on top. 9. Pick out any bits of shell from the walnuts, then gently crush them by hand and sprinkle them over the meringue. Arrange the grapes on top; cut large grapes in half crosswise. 10. Bake for 20-25 minutes at 180 °C, until the meringue is lightly browned. 11. Lift the cake out of the pan with the paper and leave it on a wire rack until completely cool, about 60 minutes. Cut portions as you serve it; if the meringue sticks to the knife, dip the blade in warm water before each cut.

Notes

Choose grapes with small or almost no seeds and taste a few first; the seeds are easy to notice here. After washing, dry the grapes well so they don’t leave water on the meringue. This was the first homemade cake with grapes I ever ate; I used egg whites taken from the freezer, and when I baked it for 35-40 minutes, I thought it had dried out too much. It contains gluten, nuts, dairy and eggs; I serve it with black tea. Covered, it keeps in the fridge for up to 3 days, although the meringue gradually softens.

Frequently asked questions

How can I turn the batter into a tart crust?

Add more flour until it becomes elastic, knead it briefly, wrap it and chill it for 1-2 hours. Prick it here and there with a fork before adding the meringue.

What should I do if the batter is too stiff for the cake?

Mix in 1 tablespoon of lukewarm water at a time, stirring after each addition, until the batter falls slowly from the spoon.

Can I bake the cake in a fan oven?

Set the oven to 160 °C and start checking after 18 minutes; the meringue should be lightly browned.

How can I cut the meringue without it sticking to the knife?

Hold the blade in warm water for 10 seconds and wipe it before each cut.