Since I am still in the middle of my canning season, this dessert fantasy will have to wait. Patience is my strong suit, my husband Bruce is amazed at the fortitude I have for waiting for things. I bought a extremely expensive handbag which needed to be made for me, I was over the moon at the anticipation of such a beautiful handbag, I danced around the living room at the thought of the lush matte black slightly textured leather with sterling silver hardware that sparkled like stars in the sky. The sale lady told me it would be anywhere from 6 months to a year, she would call me when it came in. Off I went knowing I would receive a phone call that my lovely handbag will one day be mine all mine, it arrived 7 month later...my car was the same, I just know good things come to those who wait.
So I'll be waiting for that perfect day to indulge my inner pastry chef this fall and whip up one of the most stunningly delicious pieces of bliss known to man. This recipe requires an advance skill level and a off set spatula, a serrated knife, parchment paper and a ruler...it is not for beginners.
Espresso Dacquoise
Meringue
3/4 cup blanched sliced almonds, toasted
1/2 cup hazelnuts, toasted and skinned
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup (7 ounces) sugar
4 large egg whites, room temperature
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
3/4 cup blanched sliced almonds, toasted
1/2 cup hazelnuts, toasted and skinned
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup (7 ounces) sugar
4 large egg whites, room temperature
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
Buttercream
3/4 cup whole milk
4 large egg yolks
1/3 cup (2 1/3 ounces) sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons amaretto or water
1 1/2 tablespoons instant espresso powder
16 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup whole milk
4 large egg yolks
1/3 cup (2 1/3 ounces) sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons amaretto or water
1 1/2 tablespoons instant espresso powder
16 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
Ganache
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped fine
3/4 cup heavy cream
2 teaspoons corn syrup
12 whole hazelnuts, toasted and skinned
1 cup blanched sliced almonds, toasted
For the meringue:
Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat
oven to 250 degrees. Using ruler and pencil, draw 13 by 10 1/2-inch rectangle on
piece of parchment paper. Grease baking sheet and place parchment on it, ink
side down.
Process almonds, hazelnuts, cornstarch, and salt in food processor until nuts are finely ground, 15 to 20 seconds. Add 1/2 cup sugar and pulse to combine, 1 to 2 pulse.
Using stand mixer fitted with whisk, whip
egg whites and cream of tartar on medium-low speed until foamy, about 1 minute.
Increase speed to medium-high and whip whites to soft, billowy mounds, about 1
minute. With mixer running at medium-high speed, slowly add remaining 1/2 cup
sugar and continue to whip until glossy, stiff peaks form, 2 to 3 minutes. Fold
nut mixture into egg whites in 2 batches.
With offset spatula, spread meringue evenly into 13 by 10 1/2-inch rectangle on parchment, using lines on parchment as guide. Using spray bottle, evenly mist surface of meringue with water until glistening. Bake for 1 1/2 hours. Turn off oven and allow meringue to cool in oven for 1 1/2 hours. (Do not open oven during baking and cooling.) Remove from oven and let cool to room temperature, about 10 minutes. (Cooled meringue can be kept at room temperature, tightly wrapped in plastic wrap, for up to 2 days.)
With offset spatula, spread meringue evenly into 13 by 10 1/2-inch rectangle on parchment, using lines on parchment as guide. Using spray bottle, evenly mist surface of meringue with water until glistening. Bake for 1 1/2 hours. Turn off oven and allow meringue to cool in oven for 1 1/2 hours. (Do not open oven during baking and cooling.) Remove from oven and let cool to room temperature, about 10 minutes. (Cooled meringue can be kept at room temperature, tightly wrapped in plastic wrap, for up to 2 days.)
For the buttercream:
Heat milk in small saucepan over medium heat
until just simmering. Meanwhile, whisk yolks, sugar, cornstarch, and salt in
bowl until smooth. Remove milk from heat and, whisking constantly, add half of
milk to yolk mixture to temper. Whisking constantly, return tempered yolk
mixture to remaining milk in saucepan. Return saucepan to medium heat and cook,
whisking constantly, until mixture is bubbling and thickens to consistency of
warm pudding, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer pastry cream to bowl. Cover and
refrigerate until set, at least 2 hours or up to 24 hours. Before using, warm
gently to room temperature in microwave at 50 percent power, stirring every 10
seconds.
Stir together amaretto and espresso powder; set aside. Using stand mixer fitted with paddle, beat butter at medium speed until smooth and light, 3 to 4 minutes. Add pastry cream in 3 batches, beating for 30 seconds after each addition. Add amaretto mixture and continue to beat until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes longer, scraping down bowl thoroughly halfway through mixing.
For the ganache:
Place chocolate in heatproof bowl. Bring cream
and corn syrup to simmer in small saucepan over medium heat. Pour cream mixture
over chocolate and let stand for 1 minute. Stir mixture until smooth. Set aside
to cool until chocolate mounds slightly when dripped from spoon, about 5
minutes.
Carefully invert meringue and peel off
parchment. Reinvert meringue and place on cutting board. Using serrated knife
and gentle, repeated scoring motion, trim edges of meringue to form 12 by
10-inch rectangle. Discard trimmings. With long side of rectangle parallel to
counter, use ruler to mark both long edges of meringue at 3-inch intervals.
Using serrated knife, score surface of meringue by drawing knife toward you from
mark on top edge to corresponding mark on bottom edge. Repeat scoring until
meringue is fully cut through. Repeat until you have four 10 by 3-inch
rectangles. (If any meringues break during cutting, use them as middle layers.)
Place 3 rectangles on wire rack set in rimmed baking sheet. Using offset spatula, spread 1/4 cup ganache evenly over surface of each meringue. Refrigerate until ganache is firm, about 15 minutes. Set aside remaining ganache.
Using offset spatula, spread top of remaining rectangle with 1/2 cup buttercream; place on wire rack with ganache-coated meringues. Invert 1 ganache-coated meringue, place on top of buttercream, and press gently to level. Repeat, spreading meringue with 1/2 cup buttercream and topping with inverted ganache-coated meringue. Spread top with buttercream. Invert final ganache-coated strip on top of cake. Use 1 hand to steady top of cake and spread half of remaining buttercream to lightly coat sides of cake, then use remaining buttercream to coat top of cake. Smooth until cake resembles box. Refrigerate until buttercream is firm, about 2 hours. (Once buttercream is firm, assembled cake may be wrapped tightly in plastic and refrigerated for up to 2 days.)
Warm remaining ganache in heatproof bowl
set over barely simmering water, stirring occasionally, until mixture is very
fluid but not hot. Keeping assembled cake on wire rack, pour ganache over top of
cake. Using offset spatula, spread ganache in thin, even layer over top of cake,
letting excess flow down sides. Spread ganache over sides in thin layer (top
must be completely covered, but some small gaps on sides are OK).
Garnish top of cake with hazelnuts. Holding
bottom of cake with 1 hand, gently press almonds onto sides with other hand.
Chill on wire rack, uncovered, for at least 3 hours or up to 12 hours. Transfer
to platter. Cut into slices with sharp knife that has been dipped in hot water
and wiped dry before each slice. Serve.
Grow, Harvest, Cook, BAKE CAKE, Eat...
Jenn
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