Dacquoise

By norsegal8

A dacquoise is an exceptionally light and crisp meringue made with ground nuts. The nuts make it pale brown in color with a delicious nutty flavor. Crunchy, flavorful nuts are the best. Use almonds, hazelnuts or a combination of both. The mixture can be piped into disks or heart shapes (or any other shape). Make 2 9-inch or 3 7-inch disks.

Ingredients

• 4 ounces toasted, peeled and finely ground almonds or hazelnuts
• 1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon superfine sugar
• 3/4 cup powdered sugar (lightly spooned into cup)
• 4 large egg whites
• 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

Preparation

Step 1

1. Line a baking sheet with a nonstick liner of foil. If making discs, trace the shape onto the foil of make a template to slip under the liner as a guide.

2. Preheat the oven to 200°F.

3. In a food processor pulse the ground nuts, cornstarch, half of the superfine sugar and all of the powdered sugar a few times to thoroughly combine. Set aside in a small bowl.

4. In a large mixing bowl beat the whites until frothy, add the cream of tartar, and beat at medium speed while gradually adding 1 tablespoon superfine sugar. When soft peaks form when the beater is raised, gradually add the remaining superfine sugar and beat at high speed until stiff peaks form when the beater is raised slowly.

5. Fold in the reserved nut mixture with a slotted skimmer or a large rubber spatula. Use at once to pipe or spread on the prepared baking sheet. If the mixture is too soft to pipe well, pipe only an outline and fill in the center with a spoon.

6. Bake the discs for 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until dry but not beginning to color. The most reliable way to test for doneness is to dig out a small amount of dacquoise from the center with the tip of a sharp knife. If only slightly sticky it will continue to dry at room temperature.