Serves 8 to 10
ALTHOUGH IT RESEMBLES THE POPULAR AUSTRALIAN PAVLOVA, THE MERINGUE-crowned schaum torte actually predates it. Translated as “foam cake,” it was brought to America by German immigrants who settled in the Midwest between 1839 and 1850, with the first published recipes coming out of Wisconsin in 1870. Setting it further apart, unlike the free-form pavlova, schaum torte is a bit more refined, baked in round cake pans and is often stacked in layers to serve a crowd with major wow factor.
Fans of Wisconsin supper clubs (I myself am a superfan) will recognize individual schaum tortes with crisp, marshmallow-bellied meringue disks piled high with ice cream, seasonal fruit, and clouds of whipped cream. Life doesn’t get much better than a wood-paneled dining room, a leatherette-bumpered bar, pub cheese and Ritz crackers, kiddie cocktails, and icy old-fashioneds for the grown-ups with Wisconsin’s finest Korbel brandy. And with ice-cream drinks and schaum torte on the dessert menu, you’ve just gone straight to heaven.
Nonstick cooking spray for pans
6 large egg whites, at room temperature
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
2 teaspoons white or cider vinegar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
½ teaspoon pure almond extract
2 cups/400 g granulated sugar
1 cup/240 g heavy whipping cream, chilled
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 quart/453 g premium vanilla ice cream, or 1 batch Homemade Frozen Custard (here)
3 medium-size peaches, pitted and sliced into ½-inch/1.25 cm-thick slices (to equal 2½ cups/425 g), or 1 (1-pound/450 g) bag unsweetened frozen peach slices, thawed
Prepare the meringues: Position a rack to the center of the oven and preheat it to 275°F/135°C. Lightly spray two 8-inch/20 cm round cake pans with nonstick cooking spray. Line the bottoms of the pans with rounds of parchment paper.
Pour the egg whites and salt into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat the whites until frothy on medium-high speed, about 1 minute. Add the vinegar, vanilla, and almond extract. Continue to beat until the egg whites hold soft peaks. Add the sugar very slowly, 1 tablespoon at a time. When all the sugar has been added, increase the mixer speed to high and beat for 1 minute more, or until the meringue is very thick, stiff, and glossy.
Divide the meringue equally between the cake pans, and use the back of a spoon to smooth it evenly. Bake until lightly golden and hollow when tapped, about 1 hour. Turn off the oven. Prop the oven door open with a wooden spoon and allow the layers to cool completely in the oven, about 1 hour. (The layers can be made 1 day ahead—wrap the cooled pans tightly with plastic wrap.)
Assemble the torte: In a medium bowl, using a handheld mixer, whip the cream with the sugar and vanilla to stiff peaks. Run a very thin, flexible knife around the edges of each pan to loosen the meringues. Turn out 1 layer upside-down onto a serving platter and carefully remove the parchment paper. Spoon the ice cream over the meringue in small scoops and top with half of the peach slices. Turn the second layer out of its pan, remove the parchment, and stack on top, right-side up. Dollop the whipped cream on top, and add the remaining peach slices. Cut and serve immediately, with a large serrated knife.