Almond Dacquoise With Strawberry Ice Cream Recipes

DACQUOISE WITH LEMON CURD, CREAM AND BERRIES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 225 degrees F / 107 degrees C. Trace two 8-inch (20cm) circles on each of two sheets of parchment paper and set them, upside down, on two 16 by 11-inch (41cm by 28cm) jelly-roll pans. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, sift together the almond flour and confectioners' sugar. Set aside.
• In a food processor, pulse the almonds to crush them. You want the pieces to be just big enough to add texture.
• In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine the egg whites and cream of tartar and beat on medium-high speed, until they start to foam, about 45 seconds. Turn the speed to medium-low and slowly sprinkle the sugar to create a French meringue. Turn the speed to high and beat until stiff, glossy peaks form, 1 to 2 minutes more.
• Using the whisk attachment, fold in the almond flour mixture, then fold in the crushed almonds.
• Divide the batter evenly among the circles on the prepared parchment paper. Using an offset cake spatula, spread the batter, making sure all the circles are even so they bake at the same rate.
• Bake until the dacquoise are dry, about 90 minutes. Turn off the oven (don't open the door), turn on the oven light (if your oven doesn't have a light, continue baking for 15 minutes more), and let the dacquoise sit in the cooling oven for at least 2 hours; it can be stored like this overnight or even up to 24 hours. Leaving the light on ensures it will stay dry.
• In a medium stainless-steel bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest, butter and salt.
• Put 1 inch (2.5cm) of water in the bottom of a double boiler or a medium saucepan and bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Place the bowl with the lemon mixture over the simmering water.
• Using a rubber spatula, stir the mixture constantly, making sure to clean the sides of the bowl as you go, until the lemon curd begins to thicken, about 10 minutes; it will be the consistency of smooth pudding.
• If there are any lumps in the curd, strain it through a fine-mesh sieve into a shallow container and cover with plastic wrap, pressed directly onto the surface to prevent a skin from forming.
• In a large bowl, add enough ice cubes and cold water to create a bath for the container to sit in without the water breaching the sides.
• Set the container in the ice bath or place in the freezer until chilled, about 15 minutes, then transfer to the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
• In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine the cream, confectioners' sugar, and vanilla and beat on medium speed until just thick-it will start to leave marks from the whisk in the cream.
• Remove the bowl from the mixer and, using the whisk attachment, continue whipping by hand for several seconds until the cream reaches the desired consistency; this way, you can ensure the mixer won't take it too far. Whipped cream is best used right away.
• Spread the chocolate in a very thin layer on a piece of parchment paper. Freeze the chocolate. Paint it with edible Luster Dust and then break into shards. If your house is warm, you may need to freeze again after painting, but just for a few minutes.
• Place one dacquiose disk on a serving plate, cover with one-fourth of the whipped cream, swirl one-fourth of the lemon curd into the cream, and the top with one-fourth of the berries. Repeat with the remaining disks, whipped cream, curd, and berries. Decorate with the shards of chocolate, if desired.
• Refrigerate the dacquoise for 1 hour before serving to make cutting easier.

ALMOND AND STRAWBERRY TAHINI ICE CREAM

Steps:

• Freeze the base of your ice cream maker for at least 12 hours.
• Combine coconut milk, 1/2 cup strawberries, tahini, dates, and almond extract in a high-speed blender. Blend until strawberries are broken down and mixture is combined, about 1 minute. Pour mixture into an ice cream maker and churn according to manufacturer's directions, 5 to 10 minutes.
• As mixture starts to thicken, add remaining 1/2 strawberries and sliced almonds. Continue mixing until thickened, 10 to 20 minutes more.
• Serve immediately as soft-serve ice cream garnished with additional strawberries and sesame seeds. Alternatively, place ice cream in the freezer for 1 to 2 hours to firm up.

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).

ALMOND DACQUOISE WITH STRAWBERRY ICE CREAM

Steps:

• Make meringue layers:
• Preheat oven to 275°F and line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. Trace three 12- by 4-inch rectangles on parchment (2 on one sheet, at least 2 inches apart, and 1 on the other), then turn over.
• Pulse together almonds, 2 tablespoons sugar, and cornstarch in a food processor until finely ground, being careful not to grind to a paste.
• Beat whites with standing electric mixer at medium speed until foamy. Beat in cream of tartar and a pinch of salt, then gradually beat in remaining 3/4 cup sugar, vanilla, and almond extract. Increase speed to high and beat until meringue holds stiff, glossy peaks.
• Fold ground almonds gently but thoroughly into meringue in 3 batches. Spread evenly onto rectangles on parchment with a small metal spatula, filling them in. (As mixture bakes, meringue will spread slightly outside lines.)
• Bake meringue layers in upper and lower thirds of oven, switching position of sheets halfway through baking, until firm and pale golden, 1 hour to 1 hour and 10 minutes total. Slide meringue layers, still on parchment, onto racks, then cool completely and peel off paper.
• Fill and assemble dacquoise:
• Place 1 meringue layer on a platter and spread 1 1/2 cups ice cream evenly on top with cleaned spatula. Top with second meringue layer, then with remaining 1 1/2 cups ice cream. Top with third meringue layer, then trim edges of dacquoise with a serrated knife to make even.
• Wrap in plastic wrap and foil and freeze at least 3 hours and up to 2 days.
• Decorate dacquoise:
• Just before serving, trim and thinly slice strawberries and arrange decoratively over dacquoise.