Laskonky: coconut meringues with coffee cream

Tip: tap a step to mark it as done.

1. Beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Beat in the powdered sugar, then fold in the coconut.

2. Use a piping bag to pipe the coconut mixture into flat ovals on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. If desired, draw the shapes on the paper beforehand, leaving space so the edges do not touch. The easiest option is to use a laskonky stencil, a template for shaping the oval shells.

3. Dry the shells rather than bake them, using the oven's lowest temperature setting for about 35–45 minutes. Prop the oven door slightly open with a wooden spoon to keep the shells from scorching.

4. Stir the coffee into the hot water and let cool.

5. Stir the pudding mix and vanilla sugar into the milk, then cook until a thick pudding forms. Let cool completely.

6. Beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Combine with the cooled pudding and coffee.

7. Spread the cream over half of the baked ovals, top with the remaining ovals, and press together gently. Refrigerate the laskonky for 2–3 hours.

Tip: The ovals are dry when they release easily from the parchment paper; if they still stick, leave them in the oven a little longer. Spread the cream on their flat undersides so they fit together better when sandwiched.

This recipe was translated from the Slovak original: Domáce laskonky s kávovým pudingovým krémom