Concord Cake: Chocolate Mousse Meringue Tarts

An intricate confection of crisp, light meringue and rich, creamy chocolate!

Chocolate mousse Meringue tarts

MERINGUE:

8 large egg whites, room temperature

1 1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

CHOCOLATE MOUSSE:

12 ounces 60-70% dark chocolate, chopped in small pieces

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

1 egg yolk

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 tablespoon water

2 cups heavy whipping cream

garnishes: piped chocolate decorations or leaves,

maraschino cherries, sugared raspberries, powdered sugar

Meringue Instructions:

-Preheat oven to 250 degrees Fahrenheit

-Whisk the egg whites on medium-high speed until soft peaks form. Slowly add the sugar while whisking, a tablespoon at a time and continue to whip until stiff, glossy peaks form. Stir in the vanilla extract.

-Place meringue in a large pastry bag fitted with a plain round tip or a ziplock bag with the corner cut off about 1/2 inch.

-Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and pipe the meringue into 12 - 3 inch rounds, in a spiral fashion and about 48 rods 2 1/2 - 3 inches long. Bake at 250 degrees until crisp, about 1 hour. Cool completely

Mousse Directions:

Melt the chocolate in a plastic or glass dish in microwave oven on full speed for 30 seconds. Let rest 1 minute, stir then repeat in microwave for an additional 20 seconds. Rest and stir. If there are a few chocolate pieces unmelted, stir vigorously for a minute or two to see if chocolate melts. If needed give it another 15 minute spin in the microwave. Set aside.

-In a mixing bowl whisk together the eggs and egg yolk until frothy. In a small saucepan, heat the sugar and water until it reaches 245 degrees F on a candy thermometer. Pour the liquid in a small stream into the eggs as they are mixing and continue to mix on high until the eggs are light and airy, about 5 minutes.

-Slowly pour the melted chocolate into the egg mixture and continue to mix on medium-high speed for another 5 minutes. -Whip the cream to soft peaks and fold into the chocolate mixture. Chill for 20 minutes.

To Assemble:

-With a large soup spoon, mold about 1/3 - 1/2 cup mousse into a round ball and set on meringue rounds. Set about 8 meringue rods in a vertical pattern around the mousse, anchoring each on the meringue round with a dab of mousse.

-If there is extra mousse, pipe in a spiral fashion to top of the mousse in the tart. Alternately, whip heavy cream to stiff peaks, adding 3 tablespoons sugar as mixing. Pipe to top off the mousse. Add chocolate decorations, cherries, or berries as desired. Dust with powdered sugar. Chill until ready to serve.

Pipe meringue in the shape of rods.

Pipe mousse onto baked meringue rounds or…

Place rounded scoop of mousse on each meringue round.

Place meringue rods vertically around mousse.

Top off mousse by piping more mousse or whipped cream on top. Decorate with piped chocolate decorations, berries and dust with powdered sugar.