Paul and Lori Fredrich

Featured at Il Mito Trattoria from February 28th to March 6th with proceeds to support the Hunger Task Force

Unless you’re from Wisconsin, you may never have heard of Schaum Torte (foam cake), a favorite among German immigrant families.

There are two schools of thought when it comes to schaum torte — one side insists that the meringue be crisp on the outside, but squoodgy (marshmallowy) in the center; the other camp insists that a good schaum torte is dried and crisp throughout.

My family staunchly swears by the first approach. In fact, I actually grew up utterly convinced that the women at church who made the crisp version were simply bad cooks who had made the mistake of baking their schaum tortes too long!!

My grandmother, who turns 90 this March, has made Schaum torte every year for Easter for as long as I can remember. Hers was always baked in a springform pan, flavored with both vanilla and almond extract, and topped with sliced strawberries (often those she picked and froze from her own garden). And it was always topped with freshly whipped cream.

This variation on my grandmother’s recipe incorporates cocoa powder, hazelnut extract, and bits of finely chopped bittersweet chocolate.

• butter
• 6 egg whites
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 1/2 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 2 teaspoon hazelnut extract
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 3 tablespoon cocoa powder
• 3 oz bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
• freshly whipped cream
• raspberries

Bring all ingredients to room temperature. Preheat oven to 250ºF. Butter an 8 inch springform pan, and set aside.

Beat egg whites for 10 minutes; whites should be very stiff. Gradually add sugar to egg whites while continuing to beat them at medium speed. Then, add balsamic vinegar, hazelnut extract, and baking powder. Beat an additional 10 minutes. Fold in cocoa powder and bittersweet chocolate bits, being careful not to deflate the meringue.

Spread the meringue mixture into the buttered springform pan. Place in the oven and bake for about one hour and ten minutes. Allow to cool in oven.

Serve dolloped with whipped cream and garnished with fresh raspberries.

Serves 6-8