La Russe

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Nutritional Info
  • Servings Per Recipe: 12
  • Amount Per Serving
  • Calories: 380.0
  • Total Fat: 28.6 g
  • Cholesterol: 54.3 mg
  • Sodium: 42.8 mg
  • Total Carbs: 31.5 g
  • Dietary Fiber: 2.3 g
  • Protein: 5.7 g

View full nutritional breakdown of La Russe calories by ingredient


Introduction

Connoisseurs who taste this seductive dessert of meringue and chocolate ganache will be reminded of a French dacquoise. Yet in Morocco this unforgettable flourless, butterless cake bears the intriguing name of Le Russe, "the Russian." Connoisseurs who taste this seductive dessert of meringue and chocolate ganache will be reminded of a French dacquoise. Yet in Morocco this unforgettable flourless, butterless cake bears the intriguing name of Le Russe, "the Russian."
Number of Servings: 12

Ingredients

    6 egg whites, at room temperature
    ¼ teaspoon salt
    ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
    1 cup superfine sugar
    1 cup hazelnuts, toasted and peeled
    3 tablespoons superfine sugar
    7 oz bittersweet chocolate, broken into pieces
    ¼ cup brewed espresso
    1 tablespoon Kahlua
    2 cups heavy whipping cream

Directions

Preheat the oven to 300°F.
Generously grease 8 inch cake pans
Cut 3 rounds of waxed paper to line the bottom of each pan, and generously grease the waxed paper.
In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on high speed, beat the egg whites with the salt and cream of tartar.
Slowly add the sugar and continue beating until stiff peaks form.
Divide the egg whites among the three pan, and smooth the tops with a spatula.
Place in the oven and immediately decrease the heat to 275°F.
Bake until the meringue is hard but not brown, about 1 hour.
In a food processor, grind the nuts with 1 tablespoon of the sugar until you have a fine meal.
Combine the chocolate, espresso, Kahlua, and remaining 2 tablespoons sugar in a heatproof bowl and melt together.
Set aside and allow to cool slightly.
Pour the cream into a large chilled bowl, and whip with an electric mixer on high speed until stiff peaks form.
Gently fold the melted chocolate blend into the whipped cream, and then fold in half of the ground nuts.
To assemble the cake, carefully peel the paper from the bottom of each meringue.
Set one round on a serving platter.
With a spatula, spread one third of the cream over the top.
Cover with a second round, and repeat the procedure.
Top with the third round, and spread with the remaining cream, spreading it over and around the sides of the cake.
Sprinkle with the remaining ground hazelnuts.
Refrigerate for no more than 3 hours before serving

Number of Servings: 12

Recipe submitted by SparkPeople user JO_JO_BA.