Before making a special Easter
or springtime dessert, decide if
your microwave can cook parts of
it. Often your microwave can be
used with other cooking methods
to simplify and speed cooking.
Today’s recipes are old favo
rites of mine. I’ve changed con
ventional cooking to microwaving
where possible. I save time and
effort using my microwave, and
you will, too.
Both recipes have a meringue
shell base, which must be baked in
a conventional oven. The micro
wave is a moist way of cooking,
so a meringue cooked in it would
never become dry and crisp as it
does when baked in a slow oven.
The filling for Mocha Torte
calls for very little microwaving,
but what an advantage the micro
waving is! To melt chocolate with
the coffee would take about 30
minutes in a double boiler over
simmering water. Or it would take
constant stirring over very low
heat with the risk of scorching.
The microwave method calls for
heating about 45 seconds to a
minute on Medium power, the
only caution is not to microwave
too long or chocolate will over
heat and lump. Microwave and stir
until completely smooth. This will
lake more than a quick stir, but it’s
MICROWAVE
MINUTES
By JOYCE BATTCHER
belter than microwaving too long.
The tart filling for Lemon or
Lime Angel Dessert is another
natural for microwave cooking.
Instead of constant stirring and
slow cooking on the range-top,
plus having to add the egg yolks at
the end, carefree microwaving of
the filling can be done. Stir every
thing together well before cook
ing. Be sure to stir during cooking
at times indicated, so filling
doesn’t form one big lump and so
no specks of cooked eggs are left
floating around. Mixture should
come to a boil, but not boil over IS
seconds. ■*
Mocha Torte
2 egg whites
'A teaspoon cream of tartar
6 tablespoons granulated sugar
'A cup chopped pecans
V* cup semisweet chocolate chips
3 tablespoons strong coffee
1 cup whipping cream
'A teaspoon vanilla
Make meringue shell and bake
in conventional oven: Beat egg
whites with cream of tartar until
soft peaks form. Beat in sugar, 1
tablespoon at a time, until stiff
peaks form. Fold in pecans.
Spread in a buttered 9-inch pie
pan. Bake 1 hour in conventional
oven at 275* F. Cool completely.
Place chocolate chips and cof-
light truck —your Case
IH or competitive
equipment — we
fee in a microwave-safe 1-quart
casserole or measure. Microwave
on Medium (SO potent power,
325-3 SO watts) 45 seconds; stir
until smooth. If necessary, micro
wave on Medium for 15-second
intervals or until chocolate can be
stirred smooth. Do not overcook.
Cool to lukewarm. Whip cream to
stiff peaks and add vanilla. Fold
chocolate-coffee mixture into
whipped cream; pour into mer
ingue shell. Chill several hours or
overnight. Cut into wedges to
serve. Makes 6 to 8 servings.
Each serving '/• of recipe:
240 calories, 3g protein, 19g fat,
20g carbohydrate, 23mg sodium,
34mg cholesterol.
Lemon or Lime
Angel Dessert
6 egg whites
14 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons granu
lated sugar
VA cups granulated sugar
1 A cup cornstarch
VA cups cold water
'A cup lemon or lime juice
4 egg yolks
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons grated lemon or
lime peel
2 cups whipping cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
Make meringue shell and bake
in conventional oven: Beat egg
whites with cream of tartar until
soft peaks form. Beat in 1 cup plus
2 tablespoons sugar, 1 tablespoon
at a time, until stiff peaks form.
Spread in a buttered 13x9-inch
pan. Bake 1 hour in conventional
oven at 275* F. Cool completely.
Combine 1% cups sugar and
cornstarch in microwave-safe
2-quart measure. Add water,
lemon juice and egg yolks, beating
until smooth. Microwave (High) 7
to 8 minutes, stirring after each 2
minutes, or until mixture starts to
824‘ 7 2 Battery for your
_ equipment,
cars and
boil and thicken. Stir in butter and
lemon peel. Cool completely.
Whip cream to stiff peaks and
add vanilla. Spread half of
whipped cream over meringue.
Spoon pudding over whipped
cream; top with remaining
whipped cream. Chill several
hours or overnight. Makes IS
servings.
Each serving: 260 calories, 3g
protein, 12g fat, 36g carbohydrate,
63mg sodium, 103 mg cholesterol.
Hint: To get more juice from a
lemon or lime, microwave it for
about IS seconds. Be sure to grate
peeling first; otherwise the peeling
will be rubbery and almost impos
sible to grate.
Variation: You may substitute 1
package (414 ounces) lemon pud
ding and pie filling (not instant)
for filling ingredients above. Pre
pare pudding as directed on pack
age, but in a 2-quart microwave
safe measure. Microwave on
High, uncovered, for 7 to 8
minutes, stirring after each 2
minutes, or until pudding boils
about IS seconds. Continue as
above. (For outstanding flavor,
stir in 1 teaspoon grated fresh
lemon or lime peel.)
Questions and answers
Q. Do microwaves change
food in any way? Do they stay in
the food?
A. Microwaves do not alter the
molecular structure of food.
Microwaves simply produce heat
Never cook eggs in their shells in to break the membrane of the egg
the microwave they will yolk before cooking fried, poach
explode! Also, always use a ed, baked or any other unbeaten
wooden pick or the tip of a knife egg dish in the microwave.
Lancaster Farming, Saturday, April 7,1W0-B9
If you could put your hand in an
operating microwave oven, your
hand would get warm and you
would remove it before you
burned it Microwaves do not stay
in the food. Compare microware
cooking to cooking in a gas oven
the gas doesn’t contaminate or
stay in the baked food.
Q. Is it harmful to let food
stand in the microwave after it
has finished cooking? What
about the steam and moisture?
A. It’s not harmful to let food
stand in the microwave to finish
cooking. The moisture that col
lects won’t harm the oven. It can
be wiped out once the door is
opened.
Questions for Joyce?
Do you have a question about
microwave cooking? Send it to
Microwave Minutes, % Extra
Newspaper Features, P.O. Box
6118, Rochester, MN 55903.
Please include a self-addressed,
stamped, business-size envelope.
Recipes in this column are
tested in 600- and 650-watt micro
wave ovens. With an oven of dif
ferent wattage output, timings
may need slight adjustment
Joyce Battcher is an indepen
dent home economist microwave
specialist. She is author of
“Microwave Family Favorites”
and editor of “A Batch of Ideas”
newsletter.
© 1990 Extra Newspaper
Features