Orange-Hazelnut Dacquoise

Dacquoise is a dessert made of nut-flavored meringues layered with creamy filling. Prepare this cake a day ahead, and freeze overnight so it's easy to slice.

Yield: 12 servings (serving size: 1 wedge)

Ingredients

• Meringues:
• 1  cup  hazelnut meal
• 3/4  cup  sugar, divided
• 3  tablespoons  fat-free milk
• 1  teaspoon  vanilla extract
• 1/8  teaspoon  almond extract
• 1/4  teaspoon  cream of tartar
• 1/8  teaspoon  salt
• 6  large egg whites
• 
  Filling:
• 1 1/4  cups  orange juice
• 3/4  cup  sugar
• 2  tablespoons  cornstarch
• 1  tablespoon  all-purpose flour
• 1  tablespoon  orange-flavored liqueur
• Dash of salt
• 1  (8-ounce) container frozen fat-free whipped topping, thawed
• 
  Remaining ingredients:
• 1/2  cup  hazelnut meal
• 2  teaspoons  butter
• 1  ounce  semisweet chocolate, chopped

Preparation

Preheat oven to 200°.

To prepare meringues, draw 2 (8-inch) circles on each of 2 pieces of parchment paper. Turn paper over; secure with masking tape to 2 baking sheets.

Combine 1 cup hazelnut meal, 1/4 cup sugar, milk, vanilla, and almond extract in a medium bowl; stir well. Place cream of tartar, 1/8 teaspoon salt, and egg whites in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at high speed until foamy. Gradually add 1/2 cup sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until stiff peaks form (do not underbeat). Stir one-third egg white mixture into hazelnut meal mixture. Fold hazelnut meal mixture into remaining egg white mixture.

Divide egg white mixture evenly among the 4 drawn circles; spread egg white mixture to the outside edge of each circle using the back of a spoon. Bake at 200° for 3 hours or until dry. Turn oven off, and cool meringues in closed oven at least 2 hours. Carefully remove meringues from paper.

To prepare filling, combine juice and next 5 ingredients (through dash of salt) in a small saucepan; bring to a boil. Cook 1 minute, stirring constantly until thick. Transfer to a medium bowl; cover and chill. Fold in whipped topping.

Place 1 meringue on serving platter. Spread one-fourth of filling evenly over meringue. Repeat layers two more times; top with remaining meringue. Spread remaining filling around sides. Press 1/2 cup hazelnut meal around sides of cake. Combine butter and chocolate in a microwave-safe dish. Microwave at HIGH 1 minute; stir until smooth. Spread chocolate mixture over top meringue. Cover loosely, and freeze 8 hours or overnight.

Nutritional Information

Calories:

259 (30% from fat)

Fat:

8.7g (sat 1.4g,mono 6.2g,poly 1.2g)

Protein:

5.4g

Carbohydrate:

40.2g

Fiber:

2.2g

Cholesterol:

2mg

Iron:

0.2mg

Sodium:

87mg

Calcium:

11mg

Andrew Schloss, 2,500 Recipes: Everyday to Extraordinary, Almost from Scratch, and Homemade in a Hurry, Cooking Light, OCTOBER 2007