Orange Vacherin Jeanette

Ingredients

• 1  tablespoon butter, softened
• 5  large egg whites
• 1-1/4  cups sugar
• 4  cups heavy or whipping cream
• 1/4  cup sugar
• 2  tablespoons Grand Marnier liqueur
• 1-1/2  tablespoons grated orange peel
• 2  packages (10 oz.) frozen raspberries in syrup, thawed
• 1/8  teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• 1/2  pint fresh raspberries

Directions

1. Heat oven to 200 degree F. Trace two 12x4-inch rectangles 2 inches apart on a sheet of parchment paper large enough to fit a large cookie sheet. Grease paper with butter; place buttered side down on cookie sheet. Lift the paper and turn it over, then place the paper back on cookie sheet.

2. For the meringue, beat whites in large bowl on medium-high speed of electric mixer to stiff peaks, 3 to 5 minutes. Quickly pour in the the 1-1/4 cups sugar (this should take no more than 10 seconds, or 20 seconds if using a hand mixer). Increase speed to high and beat 15 seconds. The sugar will not dissolve; it will still be grainy when rubbed between your fingers and this produces a dry and tender meringue.

3. Spoon meringue into pastry bag. Fit a large pastry bag with a 3/4-inch plain tip and fill with half of the meringue. (For easy filling, place bag in tall glass or blender container).

4. Pipe the meringue following outline and fill in rectangles. Starting at one corner of the parchment, pipe two 12x4-inch rectangles. Pipe any remaining meringue into oval shapes. Smooth tops of rectangles with a large metal spatula.

5. Bake 3 to 3-1/2 hours. The meringues should feel completely dry and may turn pale golden. Transfer the meringues on parchment paper to a wire rack and cool completely.

6.Meanwhile for the Orange Cream, beat heavy cream, 1/4 cup sugar, Grand Marnier, and orange peel in large bowl with electric mixer to firm peaks. Refrigerate.

7. Cut a 14x6-inch piece of cardboard; wrap with foil. Peel one meringue rectangle from parchment and place, bottom side down, on cardboard. (If meringue breaks, it will be covered completely with cream. Just gently shape to reassemble.) Spread top with 4 cups of the Orange Cream. Peel ovals from parchment and crumble; sprinkle evenly over Orange Cream. Peel remaining rectangle from parchment and place bottom side up, over crumbs.

8. For the Raspberry Sauce, puree raspberries in blender. Strain through a fine sieve into a bowl. Stir in lemon juice. Cover and refrigerate until needed.

9. Transfer cake to a cookie sheet. Spread 2 cups of the Orange Cream over top and sides of cake. Fill a large pastry bag, fitted with a 3/4-inch star tip, with remaining Orange Cream. Pipe remaining Orange Cream on the top, the sides, and a border along the base. Gently press raspberries onto cake. Freeze, uncovered, 6 hours, until completely firm. Slice vacherin and serve with Raspberry Sauce. Makes 12 servings.

Make-Ahead Tip: Assemble vacherin. Cover loosely with plastic wrap, then with foil. Freeze up to 2 days. Refrigerate 1 hour before serving.