Pecan sponge cake:
1/2 c Pecan pieces
1/4 c All-purpose flour
8 Egg yolks, room temperature
1/4 c Sugar
6 Egg whites, room temperature
1/3 c Sugar
1/4 c Butter, melted
Syrup:
3/4 c Sugar
1/2 c Water
2 ts Praline liqueur
Pecan crust:
1 c Pecan pieces
1 c Pastry flour
1 c Butter, room temperature
1/2 c Light brown sugar; firmly p
-cked
1 Egg, room temperature
Praline panache:
1 c Whipping cream
12 oz Bittersweet or semi-sweet ch
-colate, coarsely chop
2 ts Praline liqueur
Buttercream:
1 3/4 c Butter, room temperature
1/4 c Powdered sugar, sifted
1 ts Solid vegetable shortening
2 ts Praline liqueur
1/2 c Egg whites
1 c Sugar
For cake: Preheat over to 375 degrees. Grease 9″ round cake pan; line with
parchment. Finely grind pecans with flour in food processor using on/off
turns. Using electric mixer, beat yolks with 1/4 cup sugar until slowly
dissolving ribbons form when beaters are lifted. Using clean dry beaters,
beat whites with 1/3 cup sugar until soft peaks form. Fold half of whites
into yolk mixture. Fold in pecans. Fold in remaining whites. Fold 3/4 cup
batter into butter. Fold back into batter. Pour into prepared pan. Bake
until cake is springy to touch, about 25 minutes. Cool 10 minutes in pan.
Invert cake onto rack and cool completely. Wrap tightly. Refrigerate at
least 2 hours. For Syrup: Cook sugar and water in heavy sauce pan until
sugar dissolves, swirling pan occasionally. Bring to boil. Cool. Stir in
liqueur. For Crust: Finely grind pecans with flour in processor. Using
electric mixer, beat butter with sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg.
Gently fold in pecan mixture. Gather into ball. Wrap in plastic.
Refrigerate at least 3 hours. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter baking
sheet. Roll dough out on lightly floured surface to thickness of 1/8″. Cut
out one 9″ round. Using cactus or leaf shaped cutter, cut out cookies from
remaining dough. Transfer to prepared sheet. Pierce round. Bake until
golden, 20 minutes for round and 10 minutes for cookies. For Panache: Bring
cream to boil in heavy saucepan. Remove from heat. Add chocolate and stir
until melted and smooth. Blend in liqueur. Cool to room temperature. For
Buttercream: Using electric mixer, beat butter, powdered sugar, shortening
and liqueur until light and fluffy. Heat whites and sugar in double boiler
over gently simmering water until sugar dissolves and candy thermometer
registers 100 degrees. Remove from over water. Using clean dry beaters,
beat until whites are stiff but not dry. Blend whites into butter mixture.
To Assemble: Split cake into 3 layers. Set pecan crust on platter. Using
spatula, beat panache until slightly thickened. Spread 1/4 onto crust. Top
with 1 cake layer. Brush with syrup. Cover with about 3/4 cup buttercream.
Top with second cake layer. Brush with syrup. Spread with 1/4 of panache.
Top with third layer. Brush with syrup. Spread with 1/4 of panache. Frost
top and sides of cake with remaining buttercream. Spoon remaining 1/4 of
panache into pastry bag fitted with star tip. Pipe 12 rosettes around edge
of cake. Top each with cookie. Serve at room temperature.
Yields
10