Raspberry Dacquoise

What do you usually use your leftover egg whites for besides making macarons, angel cake or friands?  After a search in the internet looking for recipes that uses only egg whites, I decided on making a meringue cake or dacquoise.  Dacquoise is made up of two or more layers of almond meringue sandwiched together with a creamy vanilla buttercream or fresh cream.  It is crisp and meringue-like on the outside and a little chewy and moist on the inside and this cake is meant to be served cold.

Meringue Cake recipe adapted from here 

Ingredients:
125g almond meal
1/2 tbsp cornflour
1/4 tsp salt
200g caster sugar
4 (160g) egg whites, room temperature
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

raspberries, for decoration

• Lightly greased two 19cm round pans and line the sides and base with baking paper which has been lightly greased.
• Preheat oven to 150 deg C.
• In a clean bowl, whisk the egg whites until frothy, then add in cream of tartar.  Whisk until soft peaks form, then gradually add in sugar, one spoonful at a time.  Whisk until stiff and glossy. Add in vanilla and whisk to combine.
• Using a spatula, gently fold the almond meal through the meringue.
• Divide evenly between the two pans, level the tops and carefully place them into the oven.
• Bake for 50 minutes or until meringue are firm to the touch and dry.  Cool in the oven, with the door ajar for at least 30 mins.
• Remove the meringues from the pans and place them on a wire rack to cool.

Buttercream recipe adapted from here (sans the chocolate-espresso)

Ingredients:

90g fresh milk

2 egg yolks

30g caster sugar

3/4 tsp cornstarch

1/8 tsp salt

115g unsalted butter, softened

1/4 tsp vanilla extract

• Heat milk in a small saucepan over medium heat until just simmering.
• Meanwhile, whisk egg yolks, sugar, cornstarch and salt in a bowl until smooth.
• Remove milk from heat, and whisking constantly, add half of the milk into the yolk mixture to temper.  Whisking constantly, returned tempered yolk mixture to remaining milk in the saucepan.
• Return the saucepan to cook under medium heat, whisking constantly, until mixture is bubbling and thickens to the consistency of warm pudding, up to 5 minutes.
• Transfer pastry cream to a bowl.  Cover and refrigerate until set (at least 2 hours).  Before using, warm gently to room temperature in a microwave.
• Using a stand mixer fitted with a paddle, beat butter at medium speed until smooth and light. Add pastry cream in 3 batches, beating for 30 seconds after each addition.  Continue to beat until light and fluffy (about 5 minutes).

To assemble the cake:

• Spread a layer of buttercream evenly over the surface of the two pieces of meringue and sandwich with raspberries.  Garnish the top with more raspberries.
• Refrigerate the cake until buttercream is firm, about 2 hours.  (Cake can be stored in an airtight container and refrigerated for up to 2 days).
• Cut the cake with a sharp knife that has been dipped in hot water and wiped clean before cutting each slice.