Homemade Krembo: Shortbread, Vanilla Meringue and a Dark Chocolate Shell

What you need

• 115 g (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, soft
• 40 g (1/3 cup) powdered sugar
• 1 egg yolk
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 170 g (1 1/3 cups) plain flour, plus extra for rolling
• 150 g (3/4 cup) granulated sugar
• 120 ml (1/2 cup) water, plus 1-2 tbsp for the dough
• 3 large egg whites, at room temperature
• 1/4 tsp cream of tartar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 300 g (10 oz) dark chocolate, chopped
• 2 tbsp neutral oil, such as canola

Method

Restated from the original video

1. 1

   Beat the butter with the powdered sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the yolk and salt.

2. 2

   Add the flour and mix just until a crumbly dough forms, adding 1-2 tbsp water if it will not come together. Flatten into a disc, wrap and chill for at least 20 min.

3. 3

   Heat the oven to 180 °C (350 °F) and line a baking sheet with parchment.

4. 4

   Roll the dough on a floured surface to 5 mm (1/4 in) thick and cut out 6 cm (2 1/2 in) rounds, rerolling the scraps. You need 18. Chill them on the sheet for 10 min.

5. 5

   Bake until lightly golden, 11-13 min. Cool completely on a rack.

6. 6

   For the topping, put the granulated sugar and 120 ml (1/2 cup) water in a small saucepan over medium heat and stir until the sugar dissolves. Boil without stirring, checking with a sugar thermometer.

7. 7

   When the boiling sugar is close to 100 °C (212 °F), start beating the cream of tartar into the egg whites with an electric mixer until stiff.

8. 8

   When the sugar reaches 115 °C (240 °F), pour it in a thin stream down the side of the bowl with the mixer running on high. Add the vanilla and keep whisking until the whites are thick, glossy and cooled to lukewarm, 7-10 min.

9. 9

   Spoon the whipped whites into a piping bag fitted with a wide plain nozzle and pipe a tall dome onto each cookie, keeping the bag upright.

10. 10

    Freeze the krembos for 30 min so the domes firm up.

11. 11

    Melt the chocolate with the oil over a pan of barely simmering water, or in the microwave in short bursts, and stir until smooth and pourable. Let it cool until just warm.

12. 12

    Holding each krembo by its base, dip the dome into the chocolate, or spoon the chocolate over it, until fully covered down to the cookie.

13. 13

    Chill until the shell sets, about 15 min. The whites are heated only by the hot sugar, so use pasteurized egg whites if serving anyone young, elderly, pregnant or immunocompromised.

14. 14

    Keep the krembos in the fridge and eat within 3 days.

Imported from myjewishlearning.com. Recipe Grab pulled out what you need to cook it; the video stays where its author put it.