Hazelnut-Almond Dacquoise

Hazelnut-Almond Dacquoise

Recipe by Joanne Chang, Flour Bakery + Café, Boston
Skill level:
I am giving this a difficult rating, as the meringues can be fragile, many cooking tools are required, and the long prep time.  While this French cake is a lot of work, it is one of the best desserts I have ever had, and well worth the time to make! 

Serves 10-12

Makes one 10-inch-long rectangular cake

Joanne Chang says, in her cookbook Flour, "Most of the offerings at Flour Bakery + Cafe are decidedly American: chocolate chip cookies, banana bread, puddings, and muffins. But when I wrote the opening menu, I knew I wanted to include this very French cake. I really like how dramatic it looks and how well all of the flavors and textures go together. Dacquoise refers to both the baked meringue layers within the cake and the composed cake itself. First, you make a light meringue and quickly and gently fold in hazelnut and almond flour. Then you pipe three long rectangles of the meringue onto a baking sheet and bake them in a slow oven overnight, so they dry out and get crispy. A creamy espresso buttercream that tastes like soft coffee ice cream and a chocolate ganache filling are sandwiched between the layers. The cake is not difficult to make, but all of its components make it important to read the recipe from start to finish so you can organize your prep schedule. Each component can be made in advance, which makes the final assembly of the cake easier."

Ingredients

For the cake

1/2 cup blanched whole hazelnuts, plus 3/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted

1/2 cup blanched whole almonds, plus 1/4 cup blanched whole hazelnuts, toasted

1-1/3 cups confectioners’ sugar

1/8 tsp. kosher salt

6 egg whites

1/3 cup granulated sugar

For the bittersweet chocolate ganache

1 lb.-semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped

2 cups heavy cream

For the espresso buttercream

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup water

2 eggs

1 egg yolk

1-1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into 2-inch chunks

1 Tbs. instant espresso powder, 2 Tbs. instant coffee powder, or 1/4 cup cooled brewed espresso

1/4 tsp. kosher salt

Preparation

To make the meringue 

1. Position a rack in the center of the oven, and heat the oven to 225°F. 
2. Line an 18 by 13-inch baking sheet (if you don’t have a sheet that large, line 2 smaller sheets) with parchment paper. Draw three 10 by 3 inch rectangles at least 3 inches apart on one side of the parchment paper, then turn the parchment over and liberally coat the other side of the paper with nonstick cooking spray or butter.
   
   
3. In a food processor, pulse the 1/2 cup hazelnuts until ground to a fine powder. (Stop grinding once they are powdery; if you continue, they will become a paste.)
   
   
4. Transfer to a medium bowl. Repeat with the 1/2 cup almonds, and add the ground almonds to the hazelnuts. Sift the confectioners’ sugar into the bowl holding the ground nuts. Add the salt and stir with a rubber spatula until all of the ingredients are well mixed.
   
   
5. Using a stand mixer fitted with the whip attachment (or a handheld mixer), beat the egg whites on medium speed for 3 to 4 minutes, or until they hold soft peaks. (This will take 6 to 7 minutes with a handheld mixer.) The whites will start to froth and turn into bubbles, and eventually the yellowy viscous part will disappear. Keep whipping until you can see the tines of your whip leaving a slight trail in the whites. To test for the soft-peak stage, stop the mixer and lift the whip out of the whites; the whites should peak and then droop.
   
   
   
   
6. On medium speed, add the granulated sugar in three equal additions, mixing for 30 seconds after each addition. When all of the granulated sugar has been incorporated, increase the speed to high and beat for about 15 seconds longer. The meringue should be slightly glossy and white and somewhat stiff. Scrape the meringue into a large bowl.
7. Sprinkle the nut-sugar mixture on top of the meringue. Working quickly and gently, use a rubber spatula to fold the nuts into the meringue, scraping the sides of the bowl to catch any loose nuts. The final consistency will be soupy, gloupy, and puddingy.
8. Fit a pastry bag with a 1/2 inch round plain tip and fill the bag with the meringue. Following the guidelines you drew on the underside of the parchment paper, pipe 3 rectangles of meringue, “fill in” the rectangles to form your individual layers. Space the rectangles about 3 inches apart (they will expand in the oven).
   

   

   Piping the meringue does not have to be too pretty...

   
   
   

   

   ...just smooth out the meringue using a rubber scraper.

9. Bake for about 3 hours, or until the dacquoise rectangles are firm to the touch. Turn off the oven and leave the rectangles in the closed oven for at least 6 hours or for up to 12 hours.


To make the chocolate ganache
10. Place the chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl. In a small saucepan, scald the cream over medium-high heat (bubbles start to form around the edge of the pan, but the cream is not boiling). Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and let sit for about 1 minute, then slowly whisk the chocolate and cream together until the chocolate is completely melted and the mixture is smooth. You should have about 4 cups. Let cool, cover, and store at room temperature for up to overnight. (The ganache can be made up to 1 week in advance and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Remove it from the refrigerator 1 day before using.)



To make the buttercream
11. In a small saucepan, stir together the granulated sugar and water. Place the pan over high heat, bring to a boil, and cook, without stirring, for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the syrup registers 238°F on a candy thermometer (the soft-ball stage). Meanwhile, fit the stand mixer with the whip attachment (or use a handheld mixer) and beat together the eggs and egg yolk on medium speed for 3 to 4 minutes, or until pale and light.
12. When the syrup is ready, remove from the heat. On low speed, slowly add the syrup into the eggs, drizzling it down the side of the bowl to keep it from hitting the whip and spattering. Turn the speed up to medium and whip for 6 to 8 minutes, or until the mixture turns light and fluffy, is pale, and is cool to the touch. Turn the speed down to low and add the butter, a few chunks as a time. Increase the speed to medium and continue to whip for 4 to 5 minutes. The mixture will break and look curdled at first, but don’t worry. It will soon become smooth and silky.
    
    
13. Add the espresso powder and salt and whip until completely combined. You should have about 3 cups. Use within 30 minutes, or cover and leave at room temperature for up to 8 hours, and then beat vigorously with a wood spoon until smooth before using. (Or, transfer to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, then bring to room temperature and beat with the stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment for a few minutes until smooth before using.)
    


To assemble the cake
14. When the dacquoise rectangles are ready, carefully peel them from the parchment paper. 

    

    I stack all three of the dacquoise rectangles together,
    and trim them to be the same size with an electric knife.

    Using a small paring knife or a small, serrated knife, trim the edges so they are even and the rectangles are all about the same size. The rectangles are fairly delicate at this point, and if you are not careful, they could shatter. The best way to avoid this is to shave off a little piece at a time until the rectangles are roughly uniform. If a rectangle shatters as you are trimming it, don’t fret. That rectangle can be the middle layer. If 2 or all 3 rectangles shatter, again don’t fret. You can piece them together as you assemble the cake. The cake will not be quite as neat, but the final product will taste the same.
15. Cut a piece of cardboard the size of the dacquoise rectangles and place one rectangle on the cardboard. 
16. Fit a pastry bag fitted with the 1/2-inch round plain tip and fill with about half of the ganache. Pipe a layer of ganache about 1/2 inch thick on top of the dacquoise. 



I usually do not bother with the piping, I just spread half of the ganache on the first dacquoise.
Note: Make sure the ganache is at room temperature, and to not press hard, or you will crush the meringue.



After I have applied the ganache, I smooth it to a nice, even layer.

17. Gently press a second dacquoise rectangle directly on top of the ganache layer and press lightly to adhere the dacquoise to the ganache. Fill the pastry bag with about two-thirds of the espresso buttercream and pipe a layer of buttercream about 1/2 inch thick on top of the second dacquoise layer.

18. Top the buttercream with the last dacquoise rectangle, placing it upside down so the flat side is on top. Press lightly to adhere this last rectangle to the buttercream.
    
    
19. Use a small offset spatula to spread the remaining buttercream into the gaps between the layers and to spread a very thin layer all over the dacquoise. Do your best to make the exterior of the cake as smooth as you can—you will need to use a fair amount of buttercream to fill in all the gaps.
    
    
    
20. Place the cake in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour to chill all of the layers. (At this point, the cake can be well wrapped in plastic wrap and stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 days or in the freezer for up to 2 weeks. If frozen, thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.)
21. When ready to serve, spoon the remaining ganache into a small heatproof bowl, place over (not touching) simmering water in a saucepan, and heat just until melted. (Or, place in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave on low power for 30 to 45 seconds, or just until melted and warmed enough to pour freely—not warmer than that.) Place a wire rack on a baking sheet (to catch the drips), and place the cake on the rack. Pour the melted ganache evenly over the entire dacquoise, so it covers the top and drips down the sides. Use a small offset spatula to level off the ganache on the top of the cake. Then, with the spatula, spread the ganache that drips down the sides so that it covers the sides evenly. Some of the ganache may mix into the buttercream, which is okay, because the sides will be covered with sliced almonds. Now, press the sliced almonds into the sides of the cake, covering them completely. (It helps to tilt the cake with one hand and press the almonds with your other hand.) Place the cake on a cake plate, and press the whole hazelnuts along the top edge for decoration.
    

The cake can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

Butter Spritz Cookies

Butter Spritz Cookies

Skill level: 

Prep Time:  15 minutes

Cook Time: 8 minutes

Serves: approximately 2 to 4 dozen, depending on cookie press used

Ingredients

1 cup confectioners' sugar

2 sticks unsalted butter

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 cups sifted flour

Optional:       Sprinkles or colored sugar for garnish

                       food coloring

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In a mixer with a paddle attachment, add the sugar and the butter. Mix until light and fluffy. 

3. Add the egg, vanilla and almond extracts and mix to incorporate. 
4. Sift together the baking powder and the flour. Add the flour mixture. Mix until combined. 

5. Optional:  Add food coloring.

6. Using a cookie press, press cookies onto ungreased cookie sheets. 

7. Optional:  Top with the sprinkles of your choice. 



Decorating ideas. 
Photo credit: http://www.southernplate.com/2012/12/spritz-cookies.html



8. Bake for 5 to 8 minutes, or until firm, but not yet browning.
9. Remove from baking sheet, and allow to cool completely

Spritz cookie, dipped in chocolate ganache and crushed pistachios.

Cinnamon Babka

Today was a dark, rainy, and dreary fall day.  The first really cold rainy fall day of the season, which put me in the mood to do some baking.   I could not decide whether to make bread, cinnamon rolls, an epiphany cake, of babka.  I did settle on the babka, after some thought, as the smell of bread and cinnamon baking is one of my favorite fall treats.

Babka, loosely translated as "old woman," is an eastern european desert bread, from the Jewish tradition.  It is made from a basic brioche dough, and usually made with either chocolate, or cinnamon filling.

Babka recipes tend to be closely guarded family secrets, so finding a good babka recipe can be a challenge.  This recipe has an authentic flavor, and is one of my favorite babka recipes.  I found this recipe at: http://www.justapinch.com/print/bread/sweet-bread/cinnamon-babka.html and broke it down into more steps, as the directions are not easy to follow in their original format.

I have given this an advanced rating, as the dough is very fragile, and requires some care when rolling and filling.  In addition, it is a yeast bread, requiring three rising cycles.  It has about a six hour prep to serve time, so a lot of time is needed, although three hours of the time is just waiting for dough to rise, and two hours are just for cooling.

Cinnamon Babka

Skill level:
Serves: 8

Ingredients

FILLING:

1 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed

1/4 cup all purpose flour

2 tablespoons butter, unsalted, melted & cooled

1 large egg white, reserve yolk

2 teaspoons cinnamon, ground

1/8 teaspoon salt

DOUGH:

1/2 cup whole milk, heated to 110 degrees (2% will work fine)

2 large egg yolks

1 large egg

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 cup all purpose flour

1/4 cup sugar

1 1/2 teaspoon instant or rapid rise yeast

1/2 teaspoon salt

8 tablespoons butter, unsalted, cut into 8 pieces & softened

TOPPING:

3 Tbsp cinnamon

4 Tbsp sugar

Preparation

FOR THE FILLING:

Combine all ingredients in medium bowl; mix well. Set aside 1 Tbsp filling. (I usually use a small food processor). Set aside.

FOR THE TOPPING:

Mix cinnamon & sugar together; mix well. Set aside.

FOR THE DOUGH:

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position & heat oven to 200 degrees F. When oven reaches 200 degrees, turn it off. Grease large bowl. 
2. Whisk milk, egg yolks & vanilla together in 1 cup liquid measuring cup.
3. Using stand mixer fitted with dough hook, mix flour, sugar, yeast & salt on low speed until combined. 

4. Slowly add milk mixture & mix until dough comes together, about 3 minutes. 
5. Increase speed to medium low & add butter, 1 piece at a time, until incorporated, about 1 minute.
6. Continue to mix until dough is smooth & comes away from sides of bowl, 10 - 12 minutes. NOTE: Once you've added the butter in this step, if the dough is still sticking to the sides of the bowl after 5 minutes of mixing, add 2 - 4 Tbsp of extra flour.
7. Transfer dough to prepared bowl, cover with plastic wrap & place in turned off oven until dough has risen slightly, about 1 hour. 

8. Place in refrigerator until dough is firm & has doubled in size, at least 1 hour.
9. Line 8 1/2 x 4 1/2" loaf pan with parchment paper, allowing excess to hang over edges. 
10. Punch down dough on lightly floured counter. Roll out dough to 20 x 14" rectangle. 
11. Spread all but 1 Tbsp reserved filling over dough, leaving 1/2" border around edges. (I find it easier to spread the filling if I warm it for 15 to 20 seconds in the microwave.)
    
    

12. Working from short side, roll dough into cylinder & pinch along seam to seal. Position cylinder seam side up & roll back & forth until stretched to 18" length. 

13. Spread reserved filling over top of cylinder. 
14. Fold cylinder on top of itself & pinch ends to seal. Gently twist double cylinder twice to form double figure eight. Place shaped dough seam side down in prepared pan, cover loosely with plastic & let rise in turned off oven until doubled in size, about 1 hour. 



15. Lightly beat whole egg in bowl. Remove loaf pan from oven & discard plastic. 
16. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. 
17. Brush loaf with beaten egg & sprinkle with cinnamon/sugar mixture. 

18. Bake until deep golden brown & loaf registers 190 degrees, about 45 minutes. Let cool in pan on wire rack for 20 minutes. Remove loaf from pan & cool completely, about 2 hours. Serve. NOTE: If you use a standard 9 x 5" loaf pan, start checking the babka for doneness after 40 minutes.