Shell Shaped Dacquoise Recipes

DACQUOISE

Steps:

• Position the oven racks in the upper, middle, and bottom part of the oven, then set the oven to preheat to 150 °C. Line three 21 cm round baking pans or trays with parchment paper or, if you are using trays, draw a 21 cm diameter circle on each. Set aside.
• In a small bowl combine hazelnuts, 100 grams of caster sugar, and cornflour. Whisk egg whites with a pinch of salt at medium speed for 2 minutes. Increase the speed to high, and with the mixer running, gradually add 200 grams of sugar until stiff glossy peaks. Fold the hazelnut mixture into the meringue.
• Spoon the meringue into a piping bag fitted with a 1.5 cm plain tube. Pipe a spiral of meringue starting from the center of each drawn circle and working outwards. Bake for an hour, rotating the upper and bottom baking tray after 30 minutes, so they cook evenly. Turn off, and leave the meringues to cool down in the oven with the door slightly open.
• To make chocolate ganache, place the chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Heat the cream until hot, just simmering, but not boiling and pour over the chocolate. Let sit for a minute and then stir until smooth. Cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until it thickens. Fill the piping bag fitted with a medium star nozzle with ganache and set aside.
• To make the custard, bring the milk to a boil over low heat. Whisk the egg yolks, sugar, and coffee and chicory essence, then whisk in the cornflour, a tablespoon at a time. Pour the hot milk over the egg mixture, whisking continuously, then pour the mixture back into the pan. While constantly whisking, bring to a boil, then decrease the heat, and let it simmer for 2-3 minutes until thick and smooth. Remove from the stovetop and wait an hour for it to cool. Once the custard is chilled, fold in softly whipped cream.
• Whip the cream until soft peaks. Whisk half of the whipped cream into the cold coffee mixture, then gently fold in the rest. Cover and chill until needed.
• Melt sugar in a small frying pan (without stirring). Cook until golden caramel color, or until a thermometer registers 300°C. At that point add the whole hazelnuts and lemon juice, and stir with a wooden spoon until well blended. Pour the mixture onto a baking tray lined either with baking paper or silicone. Using two teaspoons form 12 pieces of hazelnut praline. Wait for it to cool completely before use.
• Position one meringue layer on a large serving plate, then in an even layer, coat it with one-third of the coffee cream. Place a second meringue layer on the cream to cover, then spread the top part with half of the coffee cream. Top with the third meringue layer, coat the sides of the cake with the coffee cream. Press roasted and chopped nuts into the sides of the cake. Pipe 12 swirls of the ganache onto the top outer edge of the cake, taking care they are evenly spaced, then place a piece of praline on each.

CHOCOLATE DACQUOISE

Steps:

• Prepare the cocoa meringue: Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Using a marker, trace three 8-inch circles total on parchment (2 on one sheet, 1 on another); turn paper marked side down on baking sheets; set aside. In a large bowl, sift together confectioners' sugar and cocoa powder; set aside.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat egg whites on medium speed until foamy. Add cream of tartar and a tablespoon of the granulated sugar; beat until soft peaks form. With mixer running, gradually add the remaining 11 tablespoons granulated sugar, beating until stiff glossy peaks form. Fold 1/3 of the egg whites into the confectioners' sugar and cocoa mixture, then fold in remaining whites.
• Transfer meringue to a pastry bag fitted with a large plain tip. Starting just within the marked circles, pipe meringue, working inward in a spiral pattern. Bake for 2 hours. Turn off oven allowing meringues to dry out until oven is completely cool, at least 4 hours and up to overnight.
• Prepare ganache: Place chocolate in a medium bowl. In a saucepan, bring cream to a boil. Pour cream over chocolate, and let stand for 3 minutes. Whisk to combine. Refrigerate, covered, until thick enough to spread, 1 to 2 hours.
• Prepare halvah cream: Bring milk to a simmer in a medium saucepan. Meanwhile, in a large heatproof bowl, whisk together tahini, honey, cornstarch, and egg yolks. Whisk a little of the hot milk into the tahini mixture. Continue to whisk while adding remaining milk. Return to saucepan, and bring to a boil while whisking. Boil, whisking constantly, until very thick, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a bowl, and whisk in half of the crumbled halvah. Cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until chilled, about 1 hour.
• Whip heavy cream just until soft peaks form. Gently fold whipped cream and the remaining crumbled halvah into the chilled tahini mixture.
• To assemble: Set aside nicest meringue disc for top layer. Place one meringue layer on an 8-inch cardboard cake round or a plate. Spread 1/3 of the halvah cream over meringue. Top with second meringue disc. Spread evenly with ganache. Top with another 1/3 of the halvah cream, spreading evenly. Top with last meringue disc. Ice outside of cake with remaining 1/3 halvah cream. Freeze for 1 to 2 hours.
• Before serving, dust top with confectioners' sugar. To slice, use a serrated knife dipped in hot water. Wipe dry between slices.

COCOA NIB, CHOCOLATE, AND CITRUS DACQUOISE

Steps:

• For Meringues:
• Preheat oven to 300°F. Line bottoms of two 9-inch-diameter cake pans with 1 1/2-inch-high sides with parchment paper; spray parchment with nonstick spray. Sift powdered sugar and cornstarch into medium bowl; whisk in ground cocoa nibs and 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt. Beat egg whites and cream of tartar in large bowl until thick and foamy. Adding 1 tablespoon sugar at a time, beat until stiff but not dry. Fold in cocoa nib mixture. Divide meringue between prepared pans, spreading evenly.
• Bake meringues 1 hour. Turn off heat. Keeping oven door closed, leave meringues in oven overnight to dry (meringues will deflate slightly).
• Chocolate chiffon cake:
• Preheat oven to 325&Deg;F. Line bottom of 9-inch-diameter cake pan with 2-inch-high sides with parchment paper; spray parchment with nonstick spray. Combine 1/4 cup sugar and next 5 ingredients in medium bowl; whisk to blend.
• Whisk 1/3 cup oil, egg yolks, and 2 tablespoons water in large bowl to blend. Stir in dry ingredients. Beat egg whites in another medium bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually add remaining 1/4 cup sugar, beating until stiff but not dry. Fold whites into yolk mixture. Transfer batter to prepared pan.
• Bake cake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Cool in pan 15 minutes. Turn cake out onto rack; peel off parchment. Cool completely. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Wrap in foil; store at room temperature.
• For mascarpone whipped cream:
• Combine all ingredients in large bowl. Beat just until mixture holds soft peaks (do not overbeat or mixture will curdle). Cover and chill at least 1 hour and up to 2 hours.
• For glaze:
• Place chocolate in large microwave-safe bowl. Combine heavy whipping cream, 3 tablespoons water, unsweetened cocoa powder, and light corn syrup in heavy medium saucepan. Whisk over medium heat until blended and just beginning to boil. Pour mixture over chopped chocolate; let stand 1 minute, then stir until smooth. Whisk in butter. Let glaze stand until thick enough to spread, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Place 1 meringue on platter, flat side down; spread 1/2 cup glaze over. Refrigerate until chocolate is firmly set, about 30 minutes. Spread half of mascarpone cream (about 1 1/2 cups) over chilled chocolate. Refrigerate 10 minutes. Place cake layer on work surface; spread with 1/2 cup marmalade, then remaining mascarpone cream. Carefully place cake layer atop meringue on platter. Top assembled cake with second meringue, flat side up. Spread 1/3 of glaze over top and sides of cake in thin even layer. Refrigerate until coating sets, about 30 minutes.
• Heat remaining glaze in microwave just until pourable but not hot, 5 to 10 seconds. Carefully pour glaze over cake, spreading to coat evenly. Chill cake until glaze sets, at least 1 hour. DO AHEAD: Cake can be made 3 days ahead. Cover with cake dome and keep refrigerated.
• Cut cold cake into wedges. Serve with blood orange segments.
• Bits of shell-roasted cocoa beans; available at many specialty foods stores and from chocosphere.com.
• ** An Italian cream cheese; sold at many supermarkets and at Italian markets.

SHELL-SHAPED DACQUOISE

Steps:

• To make the Dacquoise, first line two cookie sheets with baking parchment paper. Using a pencil, draw a scallop shell on the parchment paper about seven inches in diameter. Cut it out and trace it three times, once on one cookie sheet and twice on the other, leaving space in between.
• Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
• Beat whites with cream of tartar, almond extract and salt until frothy, and soft peaks form. Continue to whip at high speed. Add one cup of sugar by tablespoons. Whip until dry and very stiff.
• Mix remaining sugar, cornstarch and ground nuts together, and fold gently into the meringue.
• To make the top of the shell Dacquiose, use a plain round tip (No. 7 or one-half-inch in diameter) and pipe long fingers of meringue (just less than one-half-inch thick) from the scalloped edge of the pattern to the bottom edge of the shell. Fill in where necessary. Pipe another layer of meringue directly on top of the first, but starting one-half-inch in toward the center of the shell. Again, fill in where necessary. Repeat the process a third time to complete the top layer of the shell.
• Using either a spatula or the pastry bag, fill in the remaining two shell-shaped layers, each slightly less than one-half-inch thick. Pipe any extra meringue in strands on the cookie sheets to use for decoration later.
• Bake at 300 degrees until stiff and dry - at least three hours. Turn off oven and leave meringues overnight or until completely cool. Remove from paper.
• To make the butter cream filling, heat egg and sugar over water until warm and sugar begins to dissolve. Beat at high speed until completely cooled. Lower speed and beat in butter, piece by piece, until buttercream is light and fluffy.
• Dissolve the espresso in the cognac and add to egg mixture. Beat until incorporated.
• Melt the semisweet chocolate in a metal bowl over hot water.
• Assemble the Dacquoise by spreading the two flat layers of meringue with a thin coat of chocolate, then a generous layer of buttercream. Place one on top of the other, placing the top of the shell on last.
• Cover the sides with buttercream and use the extra meringue strands (crushed with your hands or a rolling pin) as decoration over the buttercream. Cover the top with powdered sugar by sifting it through a strainer.

DACQUOISE

Steps:

• This is how the original was posted!
• Cream all ingredients together for meringue shell and fill with filling.
• Bake at 400 for 10 min until set.
• Serve cooled.
• THIS is how I believe it should read:.
• Preheat oven to 375'F.
• Prepare 3 9" circles of baking paper on baking trays.
• Mix together the ground almonds & cornstarch.
• Beat egg whites and cream of tartar to soft peak stage with an electric mixer.
• Very slowly add the sugar while continuing to beat until stiff.
• Fold in the cornstarch & almond mix.
• Spread evenly on the three circles and bake for 20mins until golden brown.
• Cool and when ready to assemble remove from paper.
• For Filling:.
• Stir together the egg yolks, vanilla and coffee and let stand for 5mins.
• Add the cocoa and sugar and beat for about 4mins until fluffy.
• Beat in the butter 1Tbsp at a time until all added and beat until fluffy.
• Chill for about 30mins.
• Whip cream, sugar & vanilla together for topping and covering sides.
• To assemble:.
• Place a circle of meringue on a flat plate.
• Spread over half of the butter cream.
• Place second circle on top and spread over remaining butter cream.
• Place third circle on top and spread top and sides of the Dacquoise with the whipped cream, reserving some for piping rosettes around the top edge.
• You can also place an almond or a chocolate leaf on each rosette if liked.

LEMON AND FRESH STRAWBERRY DACQUOISE

Steps:

• For Meringue Layers: Preheat oven to 275 degrees F.
• Line 2 baking sheets with kitchen parchment cut to fit. On each of the pieces of parchment, draw 2 (8-inch) circles using a cake pan as a guide. Turn the parchment over with drawing face down on the pan. You should be able to still see the circles. Set aside.
• In a mixing bowl, beat together egg whites, salt, and cream of tartar with an electric mixer on high speed until soft peaks are formed. Still beating on high speed, gradually add sugar and strawberry extract until the whites form stiff, but not dry, peaks.
• Divide the meringue among the 4 circles drawn on the parchment. Using a rubber spatula, spread meringue to the edges of the circles. Bake in oven for 50 minutes. When meringues are done baking, turn off the oven leaving the meringues inside to dry.
• For Lemon Filling: In a medium mixing bowl, whisk to combine nonfat milk, lemon pudding mix, and lemon zest. Whisk continually for 2 minutes until filling mixture starts to thicken. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
• For Strawberry Filling: In another medium mixing bowl, gently fold sliced strawberries into 1/2 container of whipped topping. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to assemble dacquoise.
• Assembly: For best results, assemble dacquoise right before serving. Place 1 meringue circle on a cake plate. Evenly spread half of the lemon filling. Top with another meringue circle and spread with strawberry mixture. Repeat with another meringue circle and lemon filling. Place final meringue circle and top with remaining whipped topping. Garnish with mint sprig and fresh strawberries.

COFFEE DACQUOISE HEARTS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Toast nuts in a shallow baking pan in middle of oven until skins are split and nuts are golden, 10 to 12 minutes. Wrap nuts in a kitchen towel and rub to remove skins (not all skins will come off), then cool. Finely chop 1/3 cup nuts and reserve.
• Finely grind remaining 1/3 cup whole nuts with cornstarch and 1 teaspoon sugar in a food processor (do not allow to become a paste). Transfer to a bowl and stir in 1/4 cup sugar.
• Reduce oven to 250°F.
• Cover 2 baking sheets with foil. Using cutter or cardboard template as a guide, trace 6 hearts on each sheet with pointed end of a toothpick (for a total of 12). Brush foil lightly with oil.
• Beat egg whites and a pinch of salt with an electric mixer until foamy, then add cream of tartar and continue to beat until whites hold soft peaks. Gradually add 1/2 cup sugar, beating until whites just hold stiff, glossy peaks. Fold in ground-nut mixture gently but thoroughly and transfer meringue to pastry bag.
• Staying within traced lines, pipe 4 solid hearts and 2 hearts with a heart-shaped space in center on each baking sheet (there may be meringue left over). Bake in upper and lower thirds of oven, switching position of sheets halfway through baking, until dry and pale golden, 1 to 1 1/4 hours. Cool 10 minutes, then carefully peel meringues off foil and transfer to a rack to cool completely.
• Stir together espresso powder and 1 teaspoon warm water until dissolved.
• Bring remaining 1/4 cup warm water and remaining 1/2 cup sugar to a boil in a very small heavy saucepan over moderate heat, covered, stirring occasionally until sugar is dissolved. Boil, uncovered, washing down sugar crystals from side of pan with a pastry brush dipped in water, until candy thermometer registers 238°F or a drop of syrup forms a soft ball when dropped into a cup of cold water.
• When syrup reaches boil, start beating yolks in a bowl with electric mixer until thick and pale.
• When syrup reaches soft-ball stage, slowly pour it in a thin stream down side of bowl into yolks, beating constantly. Continue to beat at high speed until cool to the touch. (It is important that mixture is properly cooled before proceeding.)
• With mixer at high speed, add butter 1 piece at a time, beating well after each addition until incorporated, then beat in dissolved espresso. Continue to beat buttercream until fluffy.
• Spread 1 tablespoon buttercream evenly over each solid heart. Top each of 4 solid hearts with another solid heart, buttercream sides up, then top each stack with an open heart. Spread about 1 tablespoon buttercream around sides of each heart, then coat sides with reserved chopped hazelnuts.
• Chill hearts 30 minutes, then let stand at room temperature 15 minutes before serving with coulis.

ORANGE-CHOCOLATE DACQUOISE

Steps:

• To make the meringue layers, preheat the oven to 250 degrees. Generously butter and flour two cookie sheets. Shake extra flour from sheets. Trace three circles about eight inches in diameter on them.
• Place egg whites in a large bowl, add cream of tartar and beat until soft peaks form. Gradually add 1/4 cup sugar and beat until egg whites are stiff. Add another 1/4 cup sugar to the ground almonds and, reserving 1/3 cup of the mixture, fold the rest into the egg whites.
• Fill a pastry bag fitted with a plain (No. 3) tip with the egg-white mixture, and pipe circles following the patterns on the cookie sheets, working from the outside toward the center. Smooth any missed spaces with a spatula. Pipe or spoon extra mixture in dollops on cookie sheets.
• Bake the meringues in the middle of the oven, rotating for even cooking, for 55 to 75 minutes, until firm to the touch and lightly colored. Remove from the oven and run a long, thin-bladed knife or spatula carefully under the meringues. If they are not firm, return to oven and check again in five-minute increments. Once firm, transfer them to cake racks. They will become crisper when cooled.
• For the orange segments, remove and mince the orange zest. Set aside. Remove as much pith as possible and carefully separate the fruit into segments without breaking the membranes.
• Melt the chocolate in a double boiler and stir in the vegetable oil. Allow the mixture to cool slightly, then dip each orange segment halfway into the chocolate, letting extra chocolate drip back into the pan. Place the segments on wax paper to harden. Once hardened, cover lightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate until needed.
• To prepare the buttercream, place egg whites in a large metal mixing bowl and set over (not touching) boiling water. Using a wire whisk, beat, while gradually adding sugar, until the mixture is slightly thickened and reaches 105 degrees on an instant-read or candy thermometer.
• Immediately remove bowl from the heat and begin beating the mixture with an electric mixer. Continue to beat while gradually adding pieces of butter. Beat until the mixture reaches room temperature and thickens into the consistency of stiff filling - about 10 to 15 minutes. (The buttercream will look ugly and you will think that it won't come together. Keep beating. It will!)
• Meanwhile, add the six ounces of chocolate and tablespoon of water to the double boiler used for the garnish. Let it all melt, then add the orange extract, zest, Grand Marnier and salt, and stir to blend. Stir in half a cup of the buttercream and beat until chocolate is smooth. Scrape the mixture into the bowl of buttercream and mix well. Refrigerate for 10 to 20 minutes.
• To assemble the dacquoise, save the best meringue for the top. Put a small amount of buttercream in the center of a dessert plate, or a cardboard circle on a turntable, and place a meringue over it. Spread a generous quarter of the filling over this, making it a little thicker toward the outside.
• Gently place the second meringue on top, pushing down lightly, and spread another fourth of the filling. Add the final meringue layer and cover the top and sides of the dacquoise with another fourth of the buttercream.
• Crumble the reserved pieces of meringue and combine them with the sugar-nut mixture. Pat this around the sides of the dacquoise. Arrange the chocolate-dipped orange segments on top like spokes of a wheel and pipe the remaining buttercream through a pastry bag fitted with a star tip, making rosettes on the outside edge. Refrigerate, uncovered, until an hour before serving.