Serves: 12
Preparation time: 55 mins
Cooking time: 45 mins
Ingredients needed to make Raspberry and Lemon Dacquoise:
For the meringue layers:
- 1 ¼ cups granulated sugar
- 6 egg whites
- ¼ tsp cream of tartar
For the filling:
- ½ pint strawberries
- 3 large lemons
- 4 egg yolks
- 2 tbsp icing sugar
- 1 ½ cups heavy cream
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 6 unsalted butter, cubed
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
Cooking instructions for Raspberry and Lemon Dacquoise:
- To make the meringue layers, warm up your oven to 300 degrees F and spread foil onto 2 large baking sheets.
- Draw out two circles onto each such foil with a toothpick, using 8’ round pan as a guide.
- Place the egg whites in a large bowl and spoon in the cream of tartar.
- Beat them together with the help of an electric mixer, set as high speed, until they form soft peaks.
- Fold in the sugar gradually, adding a couple of tbsp each time, and continue to beat the mixture until all of the sugar is fully incorporated to form stiff yet moist peaks.
- Spread 1 ¼ of the meringue layer across each circle onto the prepared foil, using a narrow spatula, until the circle is completely filled.
- Bake it for 45 minutes and turn off the oven.
- Leave the meringues in the oven for an hour or until they dry up.
- Place them onto wire racks and set aside for about 10 minutes or until cool enough to handle.
- Peel them off from the baking sheets and set aside until they cool down to room temperature.
- To make the filling, grate a tsp of zest from the lemons and squeeze out ½ cup fresh juice from them.
- Place the cornstarch in a 2-quart saucepan and sprinkle the grated zest over it.
- Pour in the juice and give it a nice stir until well combined into a uniform mixture.
- Throw in the butter cubes, followed by a sprinkling of the granulated sugar and cook the mixture over moderately high heat until it starts boiling.
- Boil for a minute, while stirring relentlessly while beat the egg yolks in a small bowl until they break down into a pale yellow mixture.
- Pour in ¼ cup of the hot lemon mixture into it and beat it into the mixture until well combined.
- Return the mixture back into the pan and give it a rigorous whisk to prevent the final mixture from curdling.
- Lower the heat to low and continue to cook the mixture for another 5 minutes, stirring regularly, until it turns thicker.
- Tip it into a medium bowl and wrap it with a cling film so that it touches the surface of the mixture directly.
- Leave in the fridge for at least 3 hours to chill.
- Meanwhile, whip the cream in a medium bowl, along with the icing sugar, using an electric mixer set at high speed, until they are blended thoroughly and form stiff peaks.
- Fold 1 cup of it into the chilled lemon custard until mixed properly and set aside.
- Place 10 raspberries in a small bowl and set it aside in the fridge, along with ¾ cup whipped cream until necessary.
- Toss rest of the berries into remaining whipped cream and fold them together until they are well coated.
- To assemble, place one meringue layer into a large round plate and spread half of the lemon custard-cream mixture on top into a smooth layer.
- Place another meringue layer on top and top it up with a layer of raspberry-cream mixture.
- Place the 3rd meringue layer on top and smother its surface with rest of the lemon filling.
- Place the final meringue layer on top and wrap it with a cling film.
- Refrigerate overnight or at least for 5 hours to set.
- Whisk the reserved whipped cream until it forms stiff peaks and add a large splodge of it onto the centre of the dacquoise.
- Scatter the reserved raspberries on top and serve.
Image credit: Wikimedia Commons