Dessert

Halva, dried apricot and hazelnut meringue cake

Name: Halva, dried apricot and hazelnut meringue cake recipe
Yield: 10
Ingredients: Butter, to grease; 6 eggwhites; 200g caster sugar; 600g plain halva, chopped into 1cm cubes; 1 1/4 cups (125g) almond meal; 1 cup (150g) hazelnuts, roasted, peeled and coarsely chopped, plus 50g extra to garnish; 300g dried apricots, sliced into 1/2cm- thin pieces, plus 100g extra to garnish, finely chopped; 200g fresh ricotta, drained; 100g pure icing sugar, sifted; Zest & juice of 1/2 lemon; 1/ 2 cup (125ml) thickened cream

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by delicious. team

delicious. team

Sep 09, 2020

"In the Middle East, sweets are served at an occasion, rather than after dinner - they are considered a meal of their own," says Michael Rantissi.

Butter, to grease
6 eggwhites
200g caster sugar
600g plain halva, chopped into 1cm cubes
1 1/4 cups (125g) almond meal
1 cup (150g) hazelnuts, roasted, peeled and coarsely chopped, plus 50g extra to garnish
300g dried apricots, sliced into 1/2cm- thin pieces, plus 100g extra to garnish, finely chopped

Icing

200g fresh ricotta, drained
100g pure icing sugar, sifted
Zest & juice of 1/2 lemon
1/ 2 cup (125ml) thickened cream

Method

1.

Preheat oven to 160°C. Grease a 24cm springform cake pan with butter and line the base with baking paper.
2.

Place eggwhites in a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and whisk on high speed until soft peaks form. Gradually add the sugar, whisking until the mixture is stiff and glossy and the sugar is completely dissolved. Remove bowl from the stand and gently fold in the halva, almond meal, hazelnuts and dried apricot. Spoon the mixture into the prepared pan.
3.

Bake for 1 hour or until firm to the touch. Set aside to cool completely in the pan on a wire rack.
4.

For the icing, place all ingredients in a bowl and mix together until smooth, then spread over the cooled cake. Garnish with extra chopped dried apricots and chopped hazelnuts to serve.