michelle picker cooks

A dacquoise is a meringue which has ground nuts incorporated into it. I chose hazelnuts and added dark chocolate and sour cherries as well.

Preheat your oven to 190ºC (375ºF) and line a springform cake tin. Bring 6 egg whites to room temperature. Meanwhile, toast 130g (4½ oz) of hazelnuts. Cool them and blitz them into a coarse hazelnut meal. Transfer them to a bowl and add 50g (1¾ oz) of sifted plain flour and 85g (3 oz) of sifted pure icing sugar. Mix well and set aside. Now beat the egg whites until medium peaks form then slowly, a spoon at a time, add 85g (3 oz) of caster sugar. Continue to beat until the sugar is incorporated so that the meringue feels smooth. Now add most of the hazelnut mixture, 85g (3 oz) of dark chocolate pieces and 45g (1½ oz) of chopped dried sour cherries. Gently fold through the meringue. Transfer to the prepared cake tin and smooth the top. Sprinkle with the remaining hazelnut mixture and bake for 35 minutes. Cool completely before decorating the top with some shaved dark chocolate.