Hazelnut Dacquoise with Salted Caramel and Brown Butter Cream

⏱ 180 min · Serves 10

Three crisp-chewy layers of toasted hazelnut meringue, stacked with silky brown butter buttercream and ribbons of dark salted caramel. It shatters, it melts, it shows off — the pudding you make when you want the table to go quiet.

Per serving: 712 kcal · 8.5g protein · 62.0g carbs · 49.0g fat

Ingredients

• For the dacquoise:
• 200g blanched hazelnuts, toasted
• 220g icing sugar
• 30g cornflour
• 6 large egg whites (about 210g), room temperature
• 150g caster sugar
• 1/4 tsp cream of tartar
• pinch of fine salt
• For the salted caramel:
• 200g caster sugar
• 60ml water
• 150ml double cream, warmed
• 60g unsalted butter, cubed
• 3/4 tsp flaky sea salt
• For the brown butter buttercream:
• 250g unsalted butter
• 4 large egg yolks
• 150g caster sugar
• 60ml water
• 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
• pinch of salt
• To finish:
• 50g hazelnuts, toasted and roughly chopped
• 1 tbsp icing sugar, for dusting

Method

1. Heat the oven to 160C fan. Draw three 20cm circles on baking parchment, flip the paper over and line two large trays.
2. Blitz the toasted hazelnuts with the icing sugar and cornflour until finely ground but not oily. Set aside.
3. Whisk the egg whites with the cream of tartar and salt to soft peaks, then add the caster sugar a spoonful at a time, whisking to a thick, glossy meringue that holds a firm peak.
4. Sift and fold the hazelnut mixture into the meringue in three additions, being firm but careful — you want it aerated, not deflated.
5. Spread or pipe the mixture into the three circles, level to about 1.5cm. Bake 35-40 minutes until dry, pale gold and lifting cleanly from the paper. Cool completely on the trays.
6. Caramel: heat the sugar and water in a heavy pan without stirring until deep amber. Off the heat, whisk in the warm cream (it will spit), then the butter and flaky salt. Cool to room temperature — it should be a thick, pourable sauce.
7. Brown butter: melt the 250g butter in a pan and cook until the milk solids are nutty and golden. Pour into a bowl, chill until set but soft (like room-temp butter), stirring occasionally to keep the solids suspended.
8. Buttercream: whisk the yolks until pale. Boil the sugar and water to 118C, then pour in a thin stream onto the whisking yolks. Whisk 6-8 minutes until thick, pale and cool to the touch.
9. Beat in the brown butter a spoonful at a time until silky, then the vanilla and salt. Fold through 3 tbsp of the caramel for a marbled effect.
10. Assemble: place one meringue disc on a serving plate, spread with a third of the buttercream and drizzle generously with caramel. Repeat with the second layer, then top with the third disc.
11. Finish with the remaining buttercream, a spiral of caramel, chopped hazelnuts and a whisper of icing sugar. Chill 1 hour to set, then bring back to cool room temperature for 20 minutes before slicing with a hot knife.