STRAWBERRY CARDINAL CUTS
Strawberry Kardinalschnitte is a classic Austrian dessert that is particularly popular in spring and summer when strawberries are in full season. This sweet treat combines airy meringue layers with a light, creamy filling and fresh strawberries. Here is a detailed recipe that explains step by step how to prepare this wonderful dessert.
## Ingredients
### For the meringue
– 6 egg whites
– 300g sugar
– 1 pinch of salt
### For the sponge cake
– 6 egg yolks
– 50g sugar
– 1 packet of vanilla sugar
– 1 pinch of salt
– 100 g flour
### For the filling
– 500 g fresh strawberries
– 500 ml whipped cream
– 50g sugar
– 1 packet of cream stiffener
– 1 packet of vanilla sugar
## Preparation
### Prepare meringue mixture
1. **Beat the egg whites until stiff**: First beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt in a clean, fat-free bowl until stiff. Gradually add the sugar and continue beating until a shiny, solid mass is formed.
2. **Prepare the baking tray**: Line two baking trays with baking paper. Pour the meringue mixture into a piping bag fitted with a large, smooth nozzle.
3. **Spray meringue strips**: Pipe strips about 8 cm wide onto each baking tray parallel to each other, leaving enough space so that the mixture will still rise a little.
### Prepare sponge cake dough
1. **Beat the egg yolks**: Put the egg yolks, sugar, vanilla sugar and a pinch of salt in a bowl and beat with a hand mixer until the mixture is light and creamy.
2. **Fix the flour**: Sift the flour and carefully fold it into the egg yolk mixture until a smooth dough is formed.
3. **Inject dough onto meringue**: Pour the sponge cake dough into a piping bag and pipe it into the spaces between the meringue strips.
### Bake
1. **Preheat**: Preheat the oven to 150 °C fan oven.
2. **Bake**: Place the baking sheets in the oven one at a time and bake for about 25-30 minutes until the meringue biscuits are lightly golden brown. Then remove the trays from the oven and let the meringue cool completely.
### Prepare filling
1. **Wash strawberries**: Wash, stem and slice the strawberries. Set aside some nice strawberries for decoration.
2. **Beat the cream**: Beat the cream with the sugar, vanilla sugar and cream until stiff.
### Assembling the cardinal sections
1. **First Layer**: Place a meringue sponge strip on a serving platter.
2. **Apply the filling**: Spread half of the whipped cream evenly over the meringue and place half of the strawberry slices on top.
3. **Second layer**: Place a second meringue sponge strip on top and repeat the process with the remaining cream and strawberries.
4. **Final**: Finish with the last meringue sponge strip. Use the reserved strawberries for decoration.
### Cooling and serving
1. **Cooling**: Let the finished strawberry cardinal slices sit in the fridge for at least 2 hours so that they cool thoroughly and the flavors combine.
2. **Serve**: Cut the cardinal slices into pieces and arrange on dessert plates. Dust with powdered sugar if desired and serve immediately.
### Tips and Tricks
– **Egg whites**: Make sure that no egg yolk gets into the egg white mixture, as this can affect the stiffness.
– **Meringue strips**: If you don’t have a piping bag at hand, you can also use a spoon or a palette to spread the meringue mixture and the sponge cake dough onto the baking tray.
– **Flavours**: For an extra flavor kick, you can add some lemon zest or a few drops of almond flavor to the sponge cake mixture.
– **Cream alternatives**: Mascarpone or a mixture of quark and cream can be used instead of whipped cream to give the filling a different texture and taste.
The strawberry cardinal slices are a wonderfully light and refreshing dessert that not only impresses visually, but also tastes great. The combination of crispy meringue, fluffy sponge cake and fresh strawberries makes every bite a real treat. Try this recipe and surprise your guests with a homemade Austrian delicacy!