Ingredients:
Meringue Layers
10 pcs large egg whites, room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp cream of tartar
1/3 cup Dutch processed cocoa
2 cups chopped, toasted cashews
French Buttercream
5 pcs large egg yolks, room temperature
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup water
1 1/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
procedure:
- Preheat oven to moderate 325˚F/160˚C.
- Line cake pan bottoms with foil and butter, and flour the sides really well.
- In a large clean, metal mixing bowl, beat egg whites on medium until foamy (two minutes).
- Sprinkle with cream of tartar.
- Gradually add sugar, a couple of tablespoons at a time, continuing to beat now at high speed until stiff shiny peaks form (about seven to 10 minutes).
- Fold in nuts and leave some to put in between the layers.
- Divide meringue into four equal parts. Spread in pans, evenly to edges. If doing batches, use fresh foil and cooled pans for each batch.
- Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove the meringue from the baking pans while still hot; allow to cool slightly. Peel off the foil while it is still warm.
- Set aside to cool.
French Buttercream
- Put the egg yolks in a mixing bowl. Beat at high speed until the yolks have doubled in volume and are lemon yellow.
- Put the sugar and water in a heavy pan and cook over medium heat, stirring the sides down only until all the sugar is dissolved and the syrup reaches 235˚F/112˚C (or thread stage).
- With the mixer on high, very slowly pour the syrup down the sides of the bowl, until all has been added. Be careful as the very hot syrup could burn you if it splashes from the beaters. Continue beating on high until the mixture is room temperature (about 15 minutes).
- Still on high, beat in the soft, room temperature butter a tablespoon at a time.
- Add the vanilla after you beat in the butter.
- Refrigerate the buttercream for at least an hour, and whip it smooth just before you use it.
Assembly
- Set bottom meringue on cake board with a dab of buttercream to hold it in place. Spread a thin layer of buttercream, sprinkle cashew nuts and then place another meringue on top. Repeat with a thin layer of buttercream, meringue, thin layer of buttercream, meringue, and finally buttercream the top and sides.
- Pipe buttercream into small rounds until you fill up the topmost layer.
- Sprinkle cocoa powder on top using a strainer.