Almond Dacquoise With Passion Fruit And Pomegranate Seeds Recipe 455

ALMOND DACQUOISE WITH PASSION FRUIT AND POMEGRANATE SEEDS RECIPE - (4.5/5)

Steps:

• 1. Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). 2. Place parchment paper large enough to drape over sides on a large rectangular baking sheet or jelly-roll pan. 3. Place egg whites and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat until frothy. Slowly beat in sugar a few tablespoons at a time. Beat mixture until thick and glossy. Beat in vinegar. 4. Combine almonds and cornstarch and fold into mixture. Scoop onto parchment paper and smooth into each corner. Level top. Bake for 20 minutes or until mixture is browned on top. 5. Turn out onto a tea towel dusted with icing sugar. Cool a little and gently remove parchment paper. 6. Scoop passion fruit pulp into a bowl and beat into mascarpone along with 2 tbsp (25 mL) icing sugar. 7. Whip cream with remaining sugar until it holds its shape. Fold into mascarpone along with pomegranate seeds, Spread over meringue. Roll up from the short side like a jelly roll. Decorate the plate with almond brittle (recipe follows). Cut in slices and serve. Almond Brittle: 1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Combine sugar, corn syrup and water in a small, heavy-bottom saucepan and cook over medium-high heat for about 12 minutes or until syrup becomes an amber colour or until a sugar thermometer reads 320°F (160°C). The colour will darken once off the heat. 2. Quickly stir in almonds and pour onto prepared cookie sheet to cool and harden. Break into pieces and serve alongside the dacquoise.

PASSION BANANA DACQUOISE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• For the Macaroons: Sift together the flours. Whisk the egg whites, slowly adding the sugar, until they form firm peaks. Fold in the dry ingredients. Place the mixture into a pastry bag and pipe into 2 1/2-inch mounds onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Top with shredded coconut. Bake for about 20 minutes. Dust with powdered sugar.
• For the Sauce Anglaise: Combine the egg yolks, vanilla and 1 tablespoon of the sugar in a small bowl and set aside. In a small saucepot over medium heat, scald the milk, heavy cream, and the remaining sugar. Temper the yolk mixture using a small amount of the scalded liquid, then add the tempered yolks into the saucepot with the rest of the liquid.
• Over medium heat, stir this mixture constantly using a heat-resistant spatula or wooden spoon until the mixture has thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon; this should take approximately 1 minute. Be careful that the mixture does not come to a boil. Strain the mixture into a metal bowl which is sitting in an ice bath. Let cool completely, stirring occasionally, until ready to serve.
• For the Mousse: In a very small metal bowl or 1 cup glass measure, sprinkle the gelatin into 1/4 cup cold water to soften, and set aside. Place the heavy cream into a large bowl and whip using a hand mixer until soft peaks are formed. Set aside in the refrigerator. Place the egg yolks in a 2-quart mixing bowl and set aside. In a 1/2 quart sauce pot, combine the 2 tablespoons of water and sugar, and bring to a boil. Cook until the mixture reaches the soft ball stage, about 248 degrees F on a candy thermometer. Start beating the egg yolks on medium speed, and slowly add in the sugar syrup. Beat until the mixture is thick and cool. Melt the white chocolate in a bowl over a double boiler over simmering water. Remove the bowl of melted chocolate and set aside, keeping it warm. If you used a metal bowl for the gelatin, melt the gelatin over the same simmering water, otherwise, melt the gelatin in the microwave. Temper the gelatin using some of the beaten egg yolk mixture, then add this back into the egg yolk mixture and mix well. Working quickly to prevent lumps from forming, fold a small amount of whipped cream into the warm chocolate. Then fold in the egg yolk and gelatin mixture. Fold in the remaining whipped cream.
• For the Gelee: Combine the passion fruit puree, sugar and 2 tablespoons of the water in a pot and bring to a boil until combined. Set aside. Soak the gelatin in a bowl with the remaining 1 teaspoon of water and add it to the mixture when softened. Let everything cool.
• For the Glaze: Bring all of the ingredients to a boil until well combined, then let cool slightly keeping warm for service. When serving, you do not want the mixture to be so warm as to melt the mousse.
• For the Pabana Sauce: Combine sugar and pabana puree in a small pot and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat. Mix together the cornstarch and water, then add this to the puree. Return the mixture to medium heat and let simmer for about 5 minutes.
• To serve: In individual 4-ounce dome shaped molds, place a serving white chocolate mousse about 3/4 of the way up. Add passion gelee into the center of the mousse, then place a macaroon on top. Place the mold in the freezer until it is completely frozen.
• Unmold the dessert, and dip the rounded part into the soft glaze. Drizzle the pabana sauce around the plate, and place the dome in the center of the serving plate.

ALMOND AND CHOCOLATE DACQUOISE WITH CRANBERRY SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and, using an 8-inch round cake pan as a guide, trace 3 circles on parchment (2 on one sheet and 1 on other). Turn parchment over (circles will show through paper).
• Make meringue layers:
• In a large bowl with an electric mixer beat whites with cream of tartar and salt until they hold soft peaks. Add sugar all at once and vanilla and beat until meringue holds stiff glossy peaks. Fold in almonds gently but thoroughly and divide meringue evenly among parchment circles, spreading to fill in circles.
• Bake meringue layers in upper and lower thirds of oven, switching position of sheets halfway through baking, 1 hour, or until firm and pale golden. Remove parchment from sheets and cool meringue layers on it on racks. Carefully peel off parchment and put meringues, smooth sides up, on a work surface. Meringue layers may be made 1 day ahead and kept, wrapped well in plastic wrap, in a cool dry place.
• Make cranberry sauce:
• In a heavy saucepan combine cranberries, preserves, sugar, water, and lemon juice and simmer until thickened slightly, 10 to 15 minutes. Cranberry sauce may be made 2 days ahead and chilled, covered.
• In a double boiler or a metal bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water melt chocolate, stirring until smooth. Remove top of double boiler or bowl from heat and transfer chocolate to a sealable plastic bag. Seal bag, pressing out excess air. Squeeze chocolate to one corner and snip off corner as close to edge as possible to make a 1/8-inch hole. Drizzle chocolate over smooth sides of meringues (do not spread to coat) and chill, uncovered, until chocolate is set, about 30 minutes.
• In a bowl beat cream with sugar and vanilla until cream holds stiff peaks.
• Assemble dacquoise:
• Put 1 meringue layer, chocolate side down, on a cake plate and spread evenly with about half of whipped cream. Repeat layering in same manner with another meringue, remaining whipped cream, and remaining meringue. Dacquoise may be assembled and kept in a cake keeper, chilled, at least 8 hours and up to 2 days.
• Garnish dacquoise with chocolate leaves and sugared cranberries, Slice dacquoise with a serrated knife and serve chilled with cranberry sauce.
• To make the chocolate holly leaves:
• In a double boiler or a metal bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water melt chocolate, stirring until smooth, and remove double boiler or pan from heat. With a 1/2-inch pastry brush coat underside of each leaf about 1/8 inch thick with chocolate. Chill leaves, chocolate sides up, until chocolate is set, about 30 minutes, and carefully peel off holly or lemon leaves. Chocolate leaves may be made 1 week ahead and kept frozen, in layers separated by wax paper in an airtight container lined with wax paper. Makes 15 chocolate leaves.

ALMOND DACQUOISE

Steps:

• ALMOND DACQUOISE.
• Combine almonds, powdered sugar, and cornstarch; set aside.
• Place egg whites in bowl of electric stand mixer. Turn to medium-high and whip until foamy. Add salt and cream of tartar and continue whipping until soft peaks form. Sprinkle in sugar, vanilla and almond extract, beating until stiff peaks form. Reduce to low and quickly add almond mixture, mixing just until blended.
• Using a pastry bag fitted with large (1/2-inch) plain tip, pipe mixture onto greased and floured baking sheets to form 3 (8-inch) circles. Bake at 250 for 35-45 minutes and cool on aluminum foil. Fill and frost with chocolate buttercream filling.
• CHOCOLATE BUTTERCREAM FILLING.
• Place egg yolks in bowl of electric stand mixer. Turn to medium-high and whip 2 minutes. Stop and scrape bowl.
• Reduce speed to medium and gradually add powdered sugar, chocolate, butter and vanilla; continue beating until fluffy, about 5 minutes.

ALMOND DACQUOISE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Invert a 7-cup bombe mold onto 1 parchment-lined baking sheet, and trace perimeter. Turn over parchment. Brush traced circle with butter, and dust with flour. Brush another parchment-lined baking sheet all over with butter, and dust with flour.
• Beat together almonds, 1/2 cup superfine sugar, and the confectioners' sugar in a large bowl with a mixer. Beat together egg whites with a mixer until soft peaks form. Beat in remaining 1/2 cup superfine sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until stiff, glossy peaks form. Fold into nut mixture.
• Spread meringue into traced circle to form a round slightly thicker than 1/4 inch. Fit a large pastry bag with a 1-inch flat tip with a serrated edge (such as Ateco #9897). On the second baking sheet, use serrated side to pipe 3 overlapping lines to create a 3-inch square. Repeat to create 11 more squares.
• Bake dacquoise round and cookies until they are dry on top and lift easily from parchment, about 1 hour, rotating halfway through. Turn off heat; let cool in oven 1 hour. If it isn't too humid, dacquoise can be stored at room temperature, well wrapped, 1 day (if humid, use immediately).