Mascarpone Chocolate Meringue Cake

I have been playing with egg whites lately.  Oxheart Resturant is a horribly bad influence.  I am trying to make something similar to their carrot cake but have gone all over the place because of it.  But I have more ideas!  I knew it was meringue based so I decided to try a meringue cake.   I came across this one at Sweetapolita and decided to give it a try.

I made half the recipe, cut the sugar back in both the cake and the mascarpone filling.  I do not really like chocolate ganache so I used my chocolate syrup and I changed the mascarpone fililng recipe.  It was very different then what I would expect from a cake (a good thing since cake and I have texture issues).  It was different enough that I did not know if everyone else would like it but you know what?  It disappeared and I was told I could make it again.

Mascarpone Chocolate Meringue Cake

Note:  Here is a different way to make a similar cake by the Balkan Lunchbox.

6 egg whites

1 cup granulated sugar

1 pinch salt

4 ounces mascarpone cheese

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

1 cup water

1 cup sugar

1/3 cup of the best cocoa you can buy

Preheat oven to 250 degrees F (120 C) and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

Beat egg whites and salt until foamy. Add sugar, slowly, and continue beating until it reaches glossy, stiff peaks. Using a small offset palette knife, spread an even layer (apprx 1.5″ thick) of meringue in a six inch circle on the baking sheets.

Bake for approximately 2.5 hours or until dry and crisp, rotating pans every 20 minutes, and then leave in turned-off oven for another 60 minutes.

Remove from oven and leave on tray in cool, dry area, until you are ready to use. 

While the meringue circles are baking, cream the mascarpone and 2 tablespoons granulated sugar together in a bowl.  Cover and set aside.

In a pan, bring the water and sugar to a boil.  Let boil for one minute.  Turn off the heat and whisk in the cocoa.  Let cool.

To assemble, on a large plate, put one meringue.  Spread half the mascarpone mixture on top.  Drizzle with the chocolate syrup.  Place another meringue disc on top.  Spread the rest of the mascarpone mixture on top and drizzle with chocolate syrup.  Place the last disc on top and drizzle with more chocolate syrup.  How much chocolate you use is up to you.

Slice and serve.  It is crispiest the first day it is made and then it starts to get a marshmallow texture which is kind of interesting. 

This was just the first one.  More to come.