The Saratoga Torte hails from Australia, and was originally made using SAO Biscuits, an Australian favorite made by the Arnott company beginning in the early 1900s. There are countless variations of the this recipe to be found, some using nuts, others using saltine crackers instead of SAO Biscuits. Our recipe uses graham crackers and less sugar than other recipes I found. The result is a lovely, nutty crust that provides the perfect foil for the Blueberry Elderberry Preserves, whipped cream and fresh fruit.
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup finely chopped walnuts
- 5 oz graham crackers, finely ground
- 3 large egg whites
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 cup pure cane sugar
- 1 jar of Blueberry Elderberry Preserves
- 3/4 cup whipping cream
- Fresh berries (strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, etc...)
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350
- Whip the egg whites with a high speed blender until soft peaks form. Slowly add sugar, vanilla and baking powder and beat until stiff peaks form and the meringue has a glossy appearance. Gently fold in chopped walnuts and ground graham crackers. Butter a large cookie sheet. Spoon the meringue onto the center of the greased baking sheet and form into a circle about 10 inches across. Using a spatula, smooth the top of the meringue until you have a uniform disc of meringue. Place in the 350 oven and bake for 25 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from the oven and place on a rack and allow to cool completely. Remove the meringue crust with a spatula and place on a serving platter.
- Whip the cream until stiff peaks form.
- Warm the Blueberry Elderberry Preserves in a saucepan to improve spread-ability. Spread the preserves over the disc, and top with the whipped cream, using a spatula to spread the whipped cream uniformly over the preserves. Top with fresh berries and serve.