Shaum Torte - 3 points

For this month's Random Recipe Challenge, Dom challenged us to go through our cookbooks and randomly select a dessert recipe. I let my husband do the flipping open, and it took several books before he opened one to a page with a dessert.

The book was In the Kitchen with the AWA (American Women's Association). The recipe was shaum torte. I have to admit that I had never heard of shaum torte before, and I chose not to do an internet search for it because I wanted to rely solely on the recipe for instruction.

I was nervous about this challenge because we have been having wet, wet weather here. If it is not raining, it is humid. Since shaum torte looked like a meringue recipe to me, I was worried that it might not work in this weather. (Not only does our weather feel like a wet blanket, we are also suffering from a 13 year cicada infestation. If you do not live in an area "blessed" by cicadas, please click below. If you want the real sound, turn your volume up all the way.)

I can imagine that this is a lovely recipe, with a taste somewhere between a marshmallow (on the inside) and a meringue (on the outside). That would be on a dry day. Since we have no dry days here of late, it was a bit runny on the bottom. Even runny, though, it was good enough that I will try it again when we have a day with less humidity.



Shaum Torte
12 egg whites
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp cream of tartar
1 tbsp vinegar
2 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
Fruit
Whipped Cream

1. Beat egg whites with salt, baking powder, and cream of tartar for about 10 minutes, until fluffy but not dry.
2. Add sugar and vinegar gradually while beating. Continue to beat 10-15 minutes, until sugar is dissolved. Beat in vanilla.
3. Spread into a 9x11 inch cake pan which has been greased only on the bottom. Preheat oven to 400F.
4. Place the pan in the oven. Turn the oven off. Do not open the oven for at least three hours, up to overnight. Before serving, top with fruit and whipped cream.
5. Yields 20, 3 point servings before whipped cream

One last thing, I wanted to give a little shout out to the Missouri Cattleman's Association. Today a friend in Missouri told me that the MCA has been serving hamburgers to the volunteers who are helping search, rescue, and clean up in Joplin, Missouri. Good on ya, MCA! Please continue to send love to this town where 125 are dead and 700 are still missing.