Main Ingredients:

See below ingredients and instructions of the recipe

Cooking Preparation of the Recipe:

2 Large egg whites 1 tb Orange-flavored liqueur
1/2 c Sugar 3 tb Butter, thinly sliced
1/4 c Finely chopped toasted 1/2 c Heavy cream
-hazelnuts 1 tb Confectioners' sugar
1 tb Cornstarch 1/2 ts Vanilla extract
2 1-oz squares semisweet 1/2 c Fresh red raspberries
-chocolate Fresh mint sprigs

1. Heat oven to 275'F. Line large baking sheet with aluminum foil and
grease light- ly. Using a 3-inch heart-shaped cookie cutter for a
pattern, trace 6 hearts onto foil with the tip of a knife.

2. In medium bowl, place egg whites and 1/4 C sugar. Set bowl into a
larger bowl of very hot, not boiling, water. With portable electric
mixer at high speed, beat mixture until thick and nearly double in
volume. Remove bowl from hot water and continue beating egg whites
until very stiff peaks form about 4 minutes. In small bowl, combine
remaining 1/4 C sugar, the hazelnuts, and cornstarch and fold into
beaten whites, or meringue, until blended,

3. Transfer meringue to pastry bag with a 1/2-inch opening at tip. (No
decorating tip is necessary.) Pipe contiguous lines of meringue to
fill hearts on baking sheets. Bake meringue hearts 1 hour or until
dry and firm. Turn oven off. Allow meringues to remain in oven
several hours or overnight.

4. When meringues have cooled, in top of double boiler over hot, not
boiling, water, heat chocolate and 1/2 T liqueur until chocolate
melts. Remove top of double boiler from water; beat cold butter into
chocolate mixture until smooth. Brush over meringue hearts until
evenly coated.

5. In small bowl, with electric mixer or wire whisk, beat cream,
confectioners' sugar, remaining 1/2 T liqueur, and the vanilla until
soft peaks form. Spoon into pastry bag fitted with star decorating
tip.

6. To assemble desserts, place 2 glazed hearts on 2 chilled des- sert
plates. Pipe on a layer of whipped cream; sprinkle a few berries in
the center. Repeat to make a second layer on each and top with
remaining hearts. Pipe 3 whipped-cream stars on hearts. Top each star
with a berry. Garnish plate with a fresh mint sprig and the remaining
berries. Refrigerate desserts at least 2 hours before serving so
meringues can soften slightly.

Nutritional information per serving-protein: 8 grams; fat: 48 grams;
carbohy. drate: 76 grams; fiber: 3 grams; sodium: 172 milligrams;
cholesterol: 1/3 milligrams; calories: 747.

Country Living/Feb/93 Scanned fixed by DP GG

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