Happy Wedding Anniversary Leilah and Simone!
This cake was adapted from Jane Stacey's hazelnut génoise and dacquoise wedding cake. The first time I made it was for our youngest daughter’s wedding, aimed to feed 150 people. At the time we had to reconfigure the recipe [by calculating the volume, oh how I wished the pastry chef worked in grams!] for the three smaller tiers instead of making the original 4 tiered masterpiece.
This was the cake I made back in 2000
For their anniversary I made a single cake, not much bigger than the top tier I made for the wedding. It consists of 4 cake layers, 1 hazelnut dacquoise layer, with mocha buttercream and dark ganache spread between the layers, covered with white chocolate icing and decorated with white chocolate garnish.
The recipe confused me once already and making it again was not without challenges. It was less work for sure, aside from trying to organize and rewrite the convoluted recipe. But then recalling the huge amounts of leftover ingredients from the wedding cake... guessing how much chocolate is needed for a 9" cake got easier.
Jane Stacey's Hazelnut Génoise And Dacquoise Wedding Cake
[re-scanned from an old photocopy]
From a book from the library
The book is out of print and long since retired from the North Kamloops Public Library, but you can still find it on line if you look hard enough.
8 eggs, lightly beaten
1-1/3 cups sugar
1 cup sifted cake flour
1-1/2 cups toasted, skinned, and ground hazelnuts
2 Tbsp brown butter, slightly cooled
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
Dacquoise:
1/8 cup + 2/8 cups sugar
1 scant Tbsp cornstarch
1/8 cup toasted, skinned, and ground hazelnuts
2 egg whites from small eggs, at room temperature
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
1/8 tsp cream of tartar
Buttercream:
1/2 cup egg white
1/2 cup sugar less
1 Tbsp
3/4 + 1/8 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
scant 1/8 cup instant coffee dissolved in 1 tsp hot brewed coffee
4 tsp Cognac
Chocolate Ganache:
6 oz bittersweet chocolate
1/2 cup heavy cream
2.6 oz unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into small pieces
White Chocolate Icing:
3 large egg whites
1-1/3 cups unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
32.oz white chocolate, melted and slightly cooled
White Chocolate Garnish:
10 oz white chocolate
1. To Make Hazelnut Génoise Cake:
• Start by setting out the cake ingredients.
• Preheat the oven to 350F
• Place 3 cups of raw hazelnuts in a single layer into a baking pan. [you are roasting the hazelnuts for the cake as well as for the hazelnut dacquoise layer.]
• Bake the hazelnuts for 12 minutes.
• Remove from the oven and let cool slightly. Keep the oven at 350F.
• Line a large bowl with a clean kitchen towel and add the warm hazelnuts.
• Rub with the kitchen towel until the skins fall away.
• Pick out the hazelnuts and grind them in the food processor as fine as possible.
• Measure out 1-1/2 cups of ground hazelnuts and set aside the remaining nuts for use later.
• Generously butter and flour the cake pans and then line with parchment paper.
• Place the eggs and sugar in a large bowl and set over a pan of simmering water [the bowl should not touch the water].
• Whisk the mixture occasionally until it becomes warm and the sugar begins to dissolve.
• Transfer one fourth of the mixture to the bowl of an electric mixer.
• Keep the remainder warm but not hot.
• Using the electric mixer, beat at high speed until the mixture is very thick and pale yellow and forms a ribbon when dropped from a spatula.
• Transfer the mixture to a wide, shallow bowl [the greater surface area of a large bowl will make it easier to fold without deflating the batter too much].
• Beat the remaining batches of egg-sugar mixture, transferring them to the large bowl as they are finished.
• Quickly, but gently sift the flour over the mixture and fold in just until blended; follow with 1-1/2 cups of ground hazelnuts.
• Finally fold in the brown butter and vanilla just until all ingredients are incorporated.
• Immediately pour the batter into the prepared pans, and bake for approximately 25 minutes at 350F, or until the cakes test done with a skewer, spring bake when lightly touched in the center, and begin to pull away from the sides of the pans.
• Let cool slightly before removing the cakes from the pans to cool completely on wire racks.
2. To Make The Dacquoise:
• Lower the oven temperature to 300°F.
• Draw a circle on parchment paper about 1 inch smaller than the bottoms of the cake pans used for baking the cakes.
• Outline the circle with a felt pan.
• Place the parchment sheet, tracing-side down on a baking sheet and set it aside.
• Combine 1/8 cup sugar, 1 scant Tbsp cornstarch and 1/8 cup toasted, skinned, and ground hazelnuts in a food processor.
• Pulse one or two times. Set aside.
• Place the 2 egg whites from small eggs in the bowl of a standard mixer.
• Beat at low speed until frothy.
• Add the 1/4 tsp vanilla extract and 1/8 tsp cream of tartar and beat at medium speed until soft peaks form.
• Add 2/8 cup sugar at a tbsp at a time, and beat until stiff peaks form and the mixture is glossy.
• Transfer to a wide, shallow bowl.
• Sprinkle one third of the sugar-hazelnut mixture over the meringue and fold in by hand.
• Repeat this two more times with the remaining sugar-hazelnut mixture.
• Scoop this mixture inside the parchment circle and smooth out the top.
• Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until the dacquoise is dry and brittle to the touch.
• Turn off the oven and leave the dacquoise in the oven until it reaches room temperature, approximately 1 hour.
3. To Make The Mocha Buttercream:
• Combine the egg whites and, sugar in a large mixing bowl and place over simmering water (the bowl should not touch the water), whisking occasionally until the mixture is warm and the sugar has dissolved.
• Remove from heat and transfer to the bowl of a standard mixer.
• Beat at high speed until stiff peaks form.
• Reduce speed to medium and continue beating until the meringue reaches room temperature.
• Cut the butter into 2-tablespoon-size bits.
• Still on medium speed, add the butter, a piece at a time, until all the butter is well blended.
• Scrape down the sides of the bowl from time to time.
• Add the coffee mixture and the Cognac and beat until thoroughly blended.
• Set aside.
4. To Make The White Chocolate Icing:
• Combine the egg whites and the sugar in a large mixing bowl and place over simmering water (the bowl should not touch the water), whisking occasionally until the mixture is warm and the sugar has dissolved.
• Remove from heat and transfer to the bowl of a standard mixer.
• Beat at high speed until stiff peaks form.
• Reduce speed to medium and continue beating until the meringue reaches room temperature.
• Cut the butter into 2-tablespoon-size bits.
• Still on medium speed, add half (6-2/3 sticks) the butter, a piece at a time, until all the butter is well blended.
• Scrape down the sides of the bowl from time to time.
• Add half the melted white chocolate and continue beating until evenly blended, scraping the sides of the bowl from time to time.
• Cover with plastic and refrigerate until ready to use.
5. To Make The Chocolate Ganache:
• Chop the chocolate into small, matchstick-size pieces and place in a large stainless steel or heat-resistant bowl.
• Bring the cream to a rising boil and pour, all at once, over the chopped chocolate.
• Stir until the chocolate is melted and completely smooth with no lumps.
• Quickly stir in one or two pieces of the softened butter at a time, until completely dissolved.
• Set aside to thicken to a spreadable consistency.
6. To Make The White Chocolate Garnish:
• Make chocolate curls, bark, and thatch from the white chocolate
7. To Assemble:
• Cut the hazelnut génoise layers in half horizontally. This gives four cake layers.
• Place one of the cake layers on a large platter.
• Spread with mocha buttercream and top with the second cake layer.
• Top with half of the chocolate ganache, the dacquoise layer, the remaining ganache, and then the remaining two genoise layers with mocha buttercream in between.
• Do not spread the top cake layer with the mocha filling.
• Place in the fridge to chill for 1 hour.
• Frost the exterior with the white chocolate icing, smoothing it with a warm knife or spatula. [Warm the spatula by dipping it into hot water.]
• Place the remaining white chocolate icing in a pastry bag fitted with a very small round tip.
• Pipe an irregular border along the inner and outer edges of the tiers, and pipe delicate scrolls on the sides of the tiers.
• Right before serving, garnish with white chocolate curls.
*****
No longer available on line, so here is the
Original 4 Tiered Cake:
JANE STACEY HAZELNUT GÉNOISE AND DACQUOISE
WEDDING CAKE
48 eggs, lightly beaten
8 cups sugar
6 cups sifted cake flour
3 cups toasted, skinned, and ground hazelnuts
12 tbsp brown butter , slightly cooled
4 tsp vanilla extract
4-1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cup cornstarch
1-1/2 cups toasted, skinned, and ground hazelnuts
18 egg whites, at room temperature
1 tbsp vanilla extract
3/4 tsp cream of tartar
1-1/3 cups egg white (approximately 10)
2-2/3 cups sugar
1-2/3 lbs (6-2/3 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup instant coffee dissolved in 2 tbsp hot brewed coffee
1/2 cup Cognac
2-2/3 cups egg whites (approximately 20)
5-1/3 cups sugar
3-1/3 lbs (13-1/3 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 lbs white chocolate, melted and slightly cooled
2 lbs bittersweet chocolate
3 cups heavy cream
1 lb (4 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into small pieces
White chocolate curls, bark, and thatch, made from 10 oz white chocolate
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Generously butter and flour the cake pans and then
line with parchment paper.
TO MAKE THE GÉNOISE, place the eggs and sugar in a large bowl and set over a
pan of simmering water (the bowl should not touch the water). Whisk the mixture
occasionally until it becomes warm and the sugar begins to dissolve. Transfer
one fourth of the mixture to the bowl of an electric mixer. Keep the remainder
warm but not hot. Using the electric mixer, beat at high speed until the
mixture is very thick and pale yellow and forms a ribbon when dropped from a
spatula.
Transfer the mixture to a wide, shallow bowl large enough to hold all the
batter (the greater surface area of a large bowl will make it easier to fold
without deflating the batter too much). Beat the remaining batches of egg-sugar
mixture, transferring them to the large bowl as they are finished. (The eggs
are beaten in batches since most standard mixers will hold only 12 eggs.)
Quickly but gently sift the flour over the mixture and fold in just until
blended; follow with the ground hazelnuts. Finally fold in the brown butter and
vanilla just until all ingredients are incorporated. Immediately pour the
batter into the prepared pans, filling them two thirds to three quarters full,
and bake for approximately 25 minutes, or until the cakes test done with a
skewer, spring bake when lightly touched in the center, and begin to pull away
from the sides of the pans. Let cool slightly before removing the cakes from
the pans to cool completely on wire racks.
TO MAKE THE DACQUOISE, lower the oven temperature to 300°F. Use the bottoms of
the cake pans to trace a 6-inch circle, a 10-inch circle, a 12-inch circle, and
a 14-inch circle onto parchment paper. Place the parchment sheets, tracing-side
down, on baking sheets and set aside.
The centerpiece of any wedding feast, ritualistic, traditional, fanciful, and
real, is the wedding cake. It rolls in on its own little mobile stage, or waits
Prominently on a special round table or even on a Doric column. Drums roll;
photographers scurry; an ornate cutting utensil gleams (a pretty knife, an
heirloom spatula, occasionally a golden sword); the bride and groom blush and
carve and share the first slice of cake, sweetly, romantically, and usually
Marx Brothers style. It is a nice tradition, and everyone smiles and cheers.
Combine 1-1/2 cups of the sugar with the cornstarch and hazelnuts in a food
processor. Pulse one or two times. Set aside.
Place 6 of the egg whites in the bowl of a standard mixer. Beat at low speed
until frothy. Add 1 teaspoon of the vanilla and 1/4 teaspoon of the cream of
tartar and beat at medium speed until soft peaks form. Add 1 cup of the sugar,
a tbsp at a time, and beat until stiff peaks form and the mixture is glossy.
Transfer to a wide, shallow bowl large enough to hold all the eggs when beaten,
and repeat the process with the remaining eggs.
Sprinkle one third of the sugar-hazelnut mixture over the meringue and fold in
by hand. Repeat this two more times with the remaining sugar-hazelnut mixture.
Place this mixture in a pastry bag fitted with a plain tip no larger than 1/2
inch in diameter. Beginning at the center, pipe concentric circles onto the
parchment, using the traced circles as your guide.
Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until the dacquoise is dry and brittle to the
touch. Turn off the oven and leave the dacquoise in the oven until it reaches
room temperature, approximately 1 hour.
TO MAKE THE MOCHA FILLING, combine the egg whites and, sugar in a large mixing
bowl and place over simmering water (the bowl should not touch the water),
whisking occasionally until the mixture is warm and the sugar has dissolved.
Remove from heat and transfer to the bowl of a standard mixer. Beat at high
speed until stiff peaks form. Reduce speed to medium and continue beating until
the meringue reaches room temperature. Cut the butter into 2-tablespoon-size
bits. Still on medium speed, add the butter, a piece at a time, until all the
butter is well blended. Scrape down the sides of the bowl from time to time.
Add the coffee mixture and the Cognac
and beat until thoroughly blended. Set aside.
TO MAKE THE WHITE CHOCOLATE ICING, combine half the egg whites and half the
sugar in a large mixing bowl and place over simmering water (the bowl should
not touch the water), whisking occasionally until the mixture is warm and the
sugar has dissolved. Remove from heat and transfer to the bowl of a standard
mixer. Beat at high speed until stiff peaks form. Reduce speed to medium and
continue beating until the meringue reaches room temperature. Cut the butter
into 2-tablespoon-size bits. Still on medium speed, add half (6-2/3 sticks) the
butter, a piece at a time, until all the butter is well blended. Scrape down
the sides of the bowl from time to time. Add half the melted white chocolate
and continue beating until evenly blended, scraping the sides of the bowl from
time to time. Cover with plastic and refrigerate until ready to use.
Repeat the process with the remaining icing ingredients.
TO MAKE THE CHOCOLATE GANACHE, chop the chocolate into small, matchstick-size
pieces and place in a large stainless steel or heat-resistant bowl. Bring the
cream to a rising boil and pour, all at once, over the chopped chocolate. Stir
until the chocolate is melted and completely smooth with no lumps. Quickly stir
in one or two pieces of the softened butter at a time, until completely
dissolved. Set aside to thicken to a spreadable consistency.
Cut 4 rounds of cardboard to the exact size of the layers. Cut the hazelnut
génoise layers into fourths horizontally. Place one thin layer of the 14-inch
génoise on the cardboard. Spread with a layer of the mocha filling. Top with
another thin 14-inch génoise layer. Spread this with ganache. Top with the
14-inch dacquoise layer. Spread this with ganache. Top with another thin layer
of génoise. Spread this with mocha filling. Top with the final thin 14-inch
génoise layer. This completes the bottom tier of the wedding cake. Wrap the
cake, with its cardboard support, in plastic and chill in the refrigerator.
Continue to layer and stack the other tiers.
Frost the exterior of each tier with the white chocolate icing, smoothing it
with a warm knife or spatula. (Warm the spatula by dipping it into hot water.)
Cut six bamboo skewers (chopsticks will shatter the dacquoise) exactly to the height
of each tier, insert in each tier as support for the next tier, and set one
tier on top of the other. Apply a final, very smooth coat of icing over the
entire cake, sides and top.
Place the remaining white chocolate icing in a pastry bag fitted with a very
small round tip. Pipe an irregular border along the inner and outer edges of
the tiers, and pipe delicate scrolls on the sides of the tiers.
Right before serving, garnish with white chocolate curls.
