Ingredients
Base
- 180 gbutter, softened
- 120 gcaster sugar
- 3egg yolks
- 280 gplain flour
- 2 tspbaking powder
- 1 tspvanilla extract
- a pinch of salt
Filling
- 250 graspberry jam
Coconut meringue
- 3egg whites
- 150 gcaster sugar
- 1/4 tspcream of tartar
- 120 gdesiccated coconut
Equipment
- a 20 by 30 cm tin, lined
Directions
- Beat the butter and sugar together until pale and light. This takes about four minutes with an electric mixer. Beat in the egg yolks one at a time. Keep the whites, since they are used for the meringue. Add the vanilla extract as well.
- Sift the flour, baking powder and salt over the mixture. Fold it in until it forms a soft dough. Do not overwork it, since that makes the base tough. Tip the dough into the lined tin. Press it out with your fingertips into an even layer.
- Flour your fingers if it sticks. Heat the oven to 180C in good time. Bake the base alone for fifteen minutes. It should be set and pale gold at the edges. Take it out and let it cool for ten minutes. Now the jam, which needs the right consistency. Warm the jam slightly so it spreads easily. Do not make it runny, since it will soak into the base.
- Spread it over the warm base in an even layer. Leave a small margin at the edges. Now the meringue, which must be made properly. Make sure the bowl and whisk are completely clean and dry. Any grease will stop the whites whipping. Whisk the egg whites with the cream of tartar to soft peaks.
- Add the sugar a tablespoon at a time. Whisk well after each addition. Keep whisking until the meringue is stiff and glossy. Rub a little between your fingers: it should feel smooth, not gritty. Fold the desiccated coconut into the meringue with a spatula.
- Fold gently so you keep the air in. The mixture will become thick and heavy. Spoon the coconut meringue over the jam in dollops. Spread it gently to the edges with a palette knife. Work carefully so you do not drag the jam into the meringue. Bake it for a further twenty minutes. The meringue should be lightly golden and set to the touch.
- Cover it loosely with foil if it colours too fast. Let it cool completely in the tin. Cutting it warm drags the jam through the meringue. Lift it out using the lining paper. Use a sharp knife and press straight down. Cut it into sixteen even squares. Do not refrigerate it, which makes the meringue go sticky. Serve it with tea, which is what it exists for.
Technique
- Bake the base alone first, or the jam soaks into raw dough.
- Rub the meringue between your fingers; gritty means undissolved sugar, which weeps.
- Cool completely before cutting, since warm cutting drags jam through the meringue.
Substitutions
- Plum or blackcurrant jam in place of raspberry.
- Shredded coconut for a coarser topping.
Variations
- With a layer of custard under the jam, which some recipes add.
- Made with apricot jam.
- Baked as small individual squares in a muffin tin.
History
A fixture of New Zealand community cookbooks since the early 1900s, its namesake never conclusively identified.
Frequently asked questions
What is Louise Cake?
Louise Cake is a bread & pastry from New Zealand: shortcake base spread with raspberry jam under a coconut meringue. A fixture of New Zealand community cookbooks since the early 1900s, its namesake never conclusively identified.
How long does Louise Cake take to make?
Louise Cake takes 30 min of preparation and 35 min of cooking. The recipe makes 16 squares. It is rated medium to make.
What can I substitute in Louise Cake?
Yes, within limits. Plum or blackcurrant jam in place of raspberry. Shredded coconut for a coarser topping.
What is the most important thing to get right in Louise Cake?
Sift the flour, baking powder and salt over the mixture. Fold it in until it forms a soft dough. Do not overwork it, since that makes the base tough. Tip the dough into the lined tin. Press it out with your fingertips into an even layer.
