Dacquoise is a French dessert cake originally made with layers of nut meringue, and whipped cream on a buttery biscuit base. This recipe is made with cocoa sponge cake, filled with butterscotch cream, nuts and dates and of course topped with a crunchy layered meringue that creates a delicious mixed taste. Perfect for the holiday dessert!

Ingredients:

Cocoa Cake:

3 large eggs
160 g sugar
70 ml oil
70 ml water
20 g cocoa powder
120 g flour
1 teaspoon baking powder

Meringue:

3 egg whites from large eggs
150 g sugar
2 teaspoons potato flour

Fudge Cream:

500 g mascarpone cheese, chilled
400 g heavy cream, chilled
250 g canned kajmak or butterscotch sauce
100 g nuts, i used almonds, walnuts and peanuts
100 g dried pitted dates

Additional:

Cocoa powder for dusting

Procedure:

Cocoa Cake:

Line the bottom of a rectangular form with dimensions of approx. 35 x 24 cm with baking paper. In a bowl, sift in cocoa powder, flour and baking powder. Set aside. In a mixing bowl, beat the eggs with sugar on a high speed for 5 minutes or until light and creamy. Continue mixing, pour in a thin stream of oil and then water. Mix on a high speed until well blended. Add in the dry ingredients and mix until well combined. Pour the batter into the prepared form. Place into the oven preheated to 180ºC and bake for about 20-25 minutes or until the toothpick inserted is dry. Allow to cool. Once cool, remove the cake from the form. Wash the form, dry and line again with the baking paper for the meringue.

Meringue:

Beat the egg whites until stiff. Continue mixing on a high speed while adding 1 tablespoon of sugar at a time. At the end of mixing, add the potato flour and mix. The foam should be thick and shiny. Pour the meringue into the prepared baking form and spread. Bake in a preheated oven for about 1 hour, until the meringue is lightly browned and crispy, at a temperature of 130°C. Remove from the oven and let it cool and then carefully pull the paper out of the tin.

Fudge Cream:

Chop the dates and nuts into small pieces and set aside. Place the cold cream and cold mascarpone in a bowl and mix together until stiff and fluffy. Then reduce the mixer speed to low and gradually add the kajmak or butterscotch sauce one spoon at a time, mixing until combined. Finally, gently fold in the chopped dates and nuts with a spatula.

Assemble:

Place the cocoa cake into the form. Spread the fudge cream evenly. Top with the meringue and press lightly. Chill the dough for at least 4 hours in the refrigerator or preferably for a night. Dust with cocoa powder and serve 🙂

Enjoy!