The lightest cake of all

Meringue Cream Torte

Soft meringue has earned its fan base in this country as a cloud on top of lemon pie. But in Mexico, it often becomes the main event as a tender torte. Removed from its pan and cooled, it relaxes into a soft cake shape, pale gold on the outside but dense and white throughout.

In Mexico, the topping is usually whipped cream, which smooths out and hides any dips and bumps in the torte. The combination is lovely with crushed berries. But for the holidays, I like to flavor the cream with a hazelnut-and-chocolate spread. For all of its fragility, the torte can be made in advance, cuts neatly, and holds its shape.