Skip to content
German Pastry Chef, home

Back to the recipe

Kardinalschnitten (Meringue Sponge Slices with Coffee Cream)

Prep
10 min
Bake
35 min
Total
45 min
Makes
14

Ingredients

Meringue

  • 8large egg whites
  • 1 cup plus 1 tbsp220 ggranulated sugar
  • 1 pinchsalt

Sponge Batter

  • 6large egg yolks
  • 2large eggs
  • 6 tbsp80 ggranulated sugar
  • 1 tbsplemon juice
  • ⅔ cup85 gall-purpose flourIn German recipes plain flour means soft wheat flour Type 405 unless stated otherwise. In the US use all-purpose flour; in the UK, plain flour.
  • 2 ½ tbsp20 gpowdered sugarVery finely ground sugar for icings and dusting. In the US use powdered sugar (confectioners' sugar); in the UK, icing sugar.

Cream Filling

  • 1 tbsp plus 2 tsp25 grum
  • 1 tbspinstant coffee
  • 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).
  • 3 tbsp40 ggranulated sugar
  • 2 packetswhipped cream stabilizerA packet of modified starch and sugar that keeps whipped cream firm; one packet is used for about 1 cup (250 ml) of cream. In the US use whipped cream stabilizer powder (sold online and in some baking aisles), or about 1 tbsp nonfat dry milk powder per cup of cream; in the UK, cream stabiliser powder (sold online), or a spoonful of mascarpone whipped in with the cream.

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 275°F (140°C) convection (fan).

  2. Start whipping the egg whites. Add the pinch of salt and the sugar in several portions and beat until stiff.

  3. Fill the meringue into a piping bag and pipe 6 strips in total onto 2 large baking sheets (each about 16 × 14 inches / 40 × 35 cm; a US half sheet pan, 18 × 13 inches, works for each). Within each strip, leave ½-inch (1 cm) gaps between the meringue lines for the sponge batter. Pipe each meringue line twice, one on top of the other, to get more height.

  4. Beat the egg yolks, eggs and sugar for a few minutes until very thick and foamy. Briefly drizzle in the lemon juice. Sift the flour over the mixture and fold it in gently. Fill the batter into a piping bag and pipe it into the gaps you left.

  5. Dust with powdered sugar. Put them straight into the hot oven and bake for about 30 minutes. Let them cool completely after baking!

  6. Dissolve the instant coffee in the rum. Whip the cream until stiff, sprinkling in the sugar as you go. Just before the cream is stiff, add the whipped cream stabilizer and let it mix in. Work the rum and coffee mixture into the cream briefly but thoroughly.

  7. Carefully peel the strips off the parchment paper. Spread each bottom strip with ¼ of the cream, place a second strip on top, spread on the rest of the cream and cover with the last strip. Chill the slices for 3 hours before serving.

From German Pastry Chef. Full recipe with photos: germanpastrychef.com/recipes/kardinalschnitten-meringue-sponge-slices-with-coffee-cream/