Russian cake

Discover the history of russian cake.

1. Praline

   • 100 gr. of almonds
   • 100 gr. of hazelnuts
   • 90 gr. of vanilla or white sugar
   • 5 gr. of vanilla

   • On a baking tray, spread the hazelnuts and almonds evenly and bake them at 150º C for 20 minutes.
   • Once toasted, remove them from the oven and let them cool to room temperature.
   • Meanwhile, in a saucepan, heat the sugar over medium heat until it turns into a caramel of deep amber color and add the vanilla.
   • Next, turn off the heat and pour the caramel onto a baking tray lined with parchment paper and allow it to crystallise completely.
   • Once both the caramel and the nuts have cooled, break the caramel into pieces and place it in a food processor with the hazelnuts and toasted almonds.
   • Process for a few minutes until a dense, uniform paste is formed, then add the sunflower oil. Process until the mixture becomes liquid, smooth, and glossy.
   • Set aside at room temperature until use.

2. Almond Dacquoise

   • 170 gr. of egg whites (5 units)
   • 125 gr. of ground almonds
   • 125 gr. of icing sugar
   • 55 gr. of milk
   • 25 gr. of white sugar
   • 20 gr. of cornstarch
   • A few drops of lemon juice
   • A few drops of almond extract (optional)

   • First, place the almond flour and icing sugar in a food processor and process until it resembles a sandy texture or crushed biscuits.
   • Now, add the milk and mix well.
   • In another bowl, whisk the egg whites with the vanilla sugar, lemon juice, and almond extract until firm peaks form, about 10 minutes.
   • When whisking egg whites, it's recommended to start at a very low speed, incorporating the air gradually, resulting in smaller, more stable bubbles (if whisking at high speed from the start, the air would be incorporated too quickly, and the bubbles would be larger).
   • Next, fold the whipped egg whites into the previous mixture in three batches using a spatula, being careful not to deflate the meringue too much.
   • Now, sift the cornstarch over the mixture and fold it in the same way.
   • On baking paper, draw three squares of about 22 cm per side and flip them over.
   • Transfer the mixture into a piping bag with a smooth 1 cm diameter nozzle and pipe over the squares from one side to the other until filled.
   • Finally, bake each disc of batter separately for 10 minutes at 190º C.
   • Remove from the oven, let them cool on a rack, and store in a cool, dry place.

3. Praline mousseline

   • 225 gr. of butter
   • 200 gr. of whole milk
   • 160 gr. of praline
   • 80 gr. of vanilla or white sugar
   • 75 gr. of egg yolks (5 units)
   • 50 gr. of cornstarch
   • 20 gr. of Amaretto or almond liqueur (optional)
   • 2 gr. of gelatin

   • First, soak the gelatin in cold water for about 10 minutes.
   • In a saucepan, heat the milk over medium heat until it begins to boil.
   • Meanwhile, in a bowl, mix the egg yolks, cornstarch, sugar, and Amaretto with a whisk until smooth with no lumps.
   • When the milk is nearly boiling, pour it into the egg mixture in a thin stream, constantly whisking to incorporate.
   • Next, return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium heat for a few minutes until it thickens.
   • Add the gelatin, mix well, and transfer the cream to a container, covering it with plastic wrap directly on the surface. Allow it to cool completely at room temperature.
   • Meanwhile, remove the butter from the fridge, cut it into cubes of about 1 cm per side, and let it soften for a while.
   • Then, whisk the pastry cream for a few seconds, add the praline, and gradually add the butter, whisking continuously. Whisk for about 10 minutes until the cream is smooth, homogeneous, and glossy.
   • Set aside.

4. Assembly

   • 30 gr. of icing sugar

   • Using a 20 cm square metal frame, cut out the layers of dacquoise.
   • Place the frame on a plate and insert one layer of dacquoise.
   • Now, spread a small amount of praline over the dacquoise, not exceeding 1 mm in thickness.
   • Place the praline mousseline in a piping bag with a smooth 1 cm diameter nozzle and pipe a layer over the praline. Smooth with a spatula.
   • Place the second layer of dacquoise, spread some praline, and pipe another layer of mousseline on top. Smooth.
   • Place the third and final layer of dacquoise, spread a thin layer of mousseline, and smooth the surface well.
   • Finally, sprinkle icing sugar over the top of the cake and carefully remove the metal frame using a spatula or knife.
   • Store in a cool, dry place or in the fridge until serving, allowing the cake to come to room temperature for one or two hours before serving.

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