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Layer Cakes

Frozen Meringue Cream Torte with Chocolate and Nut Brittle

by Lisa

Trained pastry chef

Frozen meringue cream torte covered in whipped cream and nut brittle, cut to show chocolate coated meringue layers and creamy filling

4.7 (24)out of 5, 24 ratings

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Prep
15 min
Bake
45 min
Total
1 hr
Makes
12

This frozen cream torte, known in Germany as Eissplittertorte, is a true showpiece and an absolute highlight on any cake table! I adapted and perfected this traditional recipe from my pastry chef training for you, because I love sharing the best baking secrets with my community. Don't let its plain outside fool you: the first cut reveals a fascinating layered torte that will make your taste buds dance.

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A unique experience: crunchy, creamy, rich

What makes my frozen cream torte so special? It starts with the meringue layers. They are not only crisp and dried until airy, they are also enriched with nuts, which gives them a wonderfully full flavor. And here comes my pastry chef tip: every meringue layer gets a coat of dark couverture chocolate before you assemble the torte! The slight bitterness of the chocolate balances the sweetness of the meringue perfectly and rounds out the whole flavor.

The filling is a symphony of creamy and crunchy: a homemade vanilla pastry cream (crème pâtissière) meets light, fluffy whipped cream. It is finished with simple syrup, nut brittle and chocolate shavings. And for that special something (completely optional, but I warmly recommend it): a splash of rum. The alcohol keeps your frozen torte from freezing rock hard, so you can enjoy it perfectly half frozen, like a semifreddo!

How to enjoy my frozen cream torte at its best

A finish of vanilla whipped cream and nut brittle completes the look. My tip for the ultimate treat: let the torte freeze all the way through, then let it "warm up" at room temperature for about 10 minutes before serving. That is when it shows off its full glory and tastes best: creamy and melting with the perfect crunch. A real treat and the ideal dessert for special occasions, or simply to spoil yourself!

Notes:

• You can leave out the rum, but it brings THE FLAVOR!!! If there is one thing that makes a big difference and turns the whole torte into a WOW experience, it is definitely the rum. As an alternative, you can use a few drops of rum flavoring (a concentrated rum flavoring without alcohol; in the US use rum extract, in the UK rum flavouring). Amaretto also works if you prefer it.
• For my vanilla cream I use this recipe. I made half of the recipe and weighed out ¾ cup (200 g) of the finished cream! If you would rather make regular vanilla pudding (cooked, cooled vanilla pudding; in the US homemade vanilla pudding or cook-and-serve vanilla pudding made with milk, in the UK thick custard made from custard powder), that works too. (And in a pinch, store-bought vanilla pudding is fine, as long as it is always ¾ cup (200 g) of cream!)
• This torte should be eaten half frozen, like a parfait or semifreddo. The best way is to let it thaw in the fridge for 1 hour before you cut it.
• Cutting it into 14 to 16 slices is the best choice, because the torte is quite tall and filling!
• You don't have to add all of the simple syrup, but it is a good idea to be generous, because the syrup, just like the alcohol, helps the torte freeze creamy without large ice crystals! (Sugar and alcohol both keep things from freezing hard!)
• Attentive readers will have noticed that I used a smaller ring to spread the meringue layers than to assemble the torte! If you can, do the same, because the meringue spreads a little while baking. It ends up larger than its original size and then no longer fits into the springform pan when you assemble the torte.

Ingredients

Makes 12

  • ¾ cup170 gegg whitesfrom large eggs (about 5 egg whites)
  • 1 ⅔ cups320 ggranulated sugar
  • 1 ¼ cups100 gsliced almondsThinly sliced almonds. In the US use sliced almonds; in the UK, flaked almonds.
  • ½ cup plus 2 tbsp150 gwater
  • ¾ cup150 ggranulated sugar
  • ¾ cup200 gvanilla pastry cream (crème pâtissière)
  • 3 ½ oz100 gchocolate shavings
  • 3 ½ oz100 gnut brittleCaramelized sugar with chopped nuts, usually hazelnuts, crushed into small pieces. In the US use crushed nut brittle or hazelnut praline; in the UK, crushed nut brittle or hazelnut praline.
  • 1 ½ to 2 ½ tbsprum2 to 4 cl (20 to 40 ml)
  • 2 ½ cups600 gheavy creamGerman cream for whipping has about 30 to 32 percent fat. In the US use heavy cream or heavy whipping cream; in the UK, whipping cream (double cream also works but whips faster, so watch it).
  • 7 oz200 gdark couverture chocolateChocolate with a high cocoa butter content that melts smoothly for coating and glazing. In the US use good-quality baking chocolate bars or couverture wafers (not chocolate chips); in the UK, couverture chocolate or a good-quality cooking chocolate bar.
  • 1 ¼ to 1 ⅔ cups300 to 400 gheavy cream

Method

  1. Whip your egg whites, ideally in a stand mixer, until they turn slightly foamy. As soon as a light foam forms, you can sprinkle in the 1 ⅔ cups (320 g) sugar in lots of small portions. Once all the sugar is in, keep beating for a few more minutes until the crystals have dissolved completely and everything has turned into a smooth, stiff, glossy meringue. (To check whether the sugar has dissolved, rub a little meringue between your thumb and index finger. If you can't feel any crystals or grains, you can carry on; if you can, simply let your meringue whip for a few more minutes.)

  2. While the meringue is whipping, toast the sliced almonds in a dry skillet over medium heat on your stovetop, stirring regularly, until they are nicely golden.

  3. Fold the sliced almonds into your meringue and divide it into two portions on two baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Spread each portion inside a 9-inch (24 cm) springform ring, then lift the ring off so that you have a perfect circle of meringue on the parchment. Bake both layers for 5 hours at convection (fan) 225°F (110°C). After that, they need to cool and dry overnight.

  4. At this point you should also bring the ¾ cup (150 g) sugar and the ½ cup plus 2 tbsp (150 g) water to a boil together for 2 minutes, then let this syrup cool completely before you use it.

  5. Brush your dried meringue layers with the dark couverture chocolate. Coat one layer on one side and the second layer on both sides. Let the chocolate set before you continue.

  6. Whip the cold 2 ½ cups (600 g) heavy cream until stiff. Then fold in the chocolate shavings and the nut brittle. Your vanilla pastry cream should be completely cold before you stir in the rum and then fold the pastry cream into the whipped cream. Last of all, fold in ¾ of your simple syrup.

  7. To assemble the torte, take a 10-inch (26 cm) springform pan and clamp a sheet of parchment paper into the base. Place the layer that is coated on one side into the pan and cover it with half of your cream filling. Next, place the layer that is coated on both sides on top of the filling and cover it with the rest of the filling. Smooth the top and freeze your torte, ideally overnight.

  8. Before you cover your torte after its night in the freezer, let it thaw slightly in the fridge for 30 to 60 minutes. For the coating, whip the remaining 1 ¼ to 1 ⅔ cups (300 to 400 g) heavy cream and add the rest of your simple syrup. Work quickly when you spread it on, because the cream freezes fast on the still frozen torte. To decorate, I sprinkled on some extra nut brittle and piped on Nutella.