Swiss Japonais (Almond Meringue cookies)

[Olga Drozd]

SWISS JAPONAIS:

Swiss Japonais (zhah-po-nay), two almond meringue disks filled and frosted with a praline buttercream, then coated with meringue dust, makes an incredibly delicious two bites.

JAPONAIS MERINGUE:

2 ounces unblanched almonds, finely ground (1/3 cup)
1/4 cup granulated sugar (50 grams)

2/3 cup egg whites, room temperature (5 large)
2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
2/3 cup granulated sugar (130 grams)

Adjust one rack to lower third of oven and second rack to upper third; preheat oven to 225 degrees F. Line two large cool baking sheets with parchment paper to fit. Trace 1 1/2 inch diameter circles on the parchment with a pencil, using a cutter as a guide; cover both sheets with circles, spacing circles about 1/4 inch apart.  Fit a 16-inch pastry bag with a 1/2 inch plain decorating tip (such as Ateco #6).

JAPONAIS MERINGUE: In a small bowl, blend the ground almonds and the 1/4 cup sugar briefly with a wire whisk; set aside.

Using an electric mixer, preferably with a whisk attachment, whip the egg whites in a large mixing bowl on low speed for 30 seconds or until the surface is frothy.  Increase speed to medium, pour in the 2 Tablespoons sugar, and continue whipping until soft peaks form, about 45 seconds.

Maintaining medium speed, add the 2/3 cup sugar in a steady stream.  Continue whipping until a small amount rubbed between your thumb and forefinger feels smooth, not granular, about 2 minutes.  Tap whisk against the side of the bowl. Sprinkle the almond sugar mixture over the meringue, and using a rubber spatula, fold the two together.

Scoop all the mixture into the pastry bag. Pipe spirals to fit the traced circles on the parchment.  Bake for 60 to 70 minutes, or until spiral disks are flat, lightly colored, and dry. As they cool, they will crisp.  Remove one meringue from oven as a sample to test if drying time in oven is enough.  Place baking sheet on a wire rack to cool.  Gently lift meringues from parchment when cool.

DECORATION:

PRALINE:

1/2 cup granulated sugar (100 grams)
1 ounce whole blanched almonds, roasted (2 Tablespoons)
1 ounce whole hazelnuts, roasted and most skins removed (2 Tablespoons)

PRALINE BUTTERCREAM:

4 large egg yolks

1/4 cup water
1/2 cup granulated sugar (100 grams)

8 ounces unsalted butter, room temperature (2 sticks or 1 cup)

1/2 cup Praline Powder

PRALINE:  Lightly grease a baking sheet with vegetable oil.  Place the sugar in a 1 1/2 quart heavy bottomed saucepan or 10-inch skillet.  Place over low heat until sugar dissolves; swirl to distribute the heat evenly.  When sugar has dissolved, raise the heat to medium high and cook until the melted sugar reaches an amber color, about 8 to 10 minutes. Pour in the nuts, remove from heat, and swirl; then pour out onto the baking sheet.  Set aside to cool and firm for about 1 hour.

Crumble enough of the meringue disks to make 1 1/2 cups of fine crumbs.  You can grind them through a nut mill or chop with a chef's knife on a cutting board.  Pour the crumbs on a plate.

Match the remaining disks to make pairs:  The base of the bottom disk is the flat baked surface, while the disk on top has its flat baked side up.  Gently rub the curved sides of each pair together to ensure a more even, level fit.  Place each matched pair on a baking sheet.

PRALINE BUTTERCREAM: In the large bowl of an electric mixer, whip the egg yolks until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes.  Remove bowl from mixer stand. 

Combine the water and sugar in a 1-quart saucepan over low heat.  Stir occasionally, washing down any crystals clinging to the sides of the pan with a brush dipped in cold water, until the sugar is dissolved. Increase heat and cook the syrup, without stirring, until it reaches 238 degrees F. on a candy thermometer. Pour into the center of the yolks and quickly whisk vigorously to combine.  Return bowl to mixer, and whip at medium speed until the egg yolk mixture thickens and cools to body temperature, about 5 minutes. Maintaining speed, add the butter to the cooled mixture, 2 tablespoons at a time.  Continue mixing until all the butter has been incorporated and the buttercream is smooth and homogeneous.

PRALINE POWDER: Break the cool, firm praline into small pieces, and place them in a food processor bowl.  Process until the praline has the consistency of fine crumbs. Pour the crumbs through a sieve to strain out any large lumps.  Stir 1/2 cup praline powder into the buttercream and store the remaining powder in an airtight container at room temperature for another use.

Using a pastry bag fitted with a 1/4-inch plain decorating tip (such as Ateco #2), pipe a scant teaspoon of the buttercream, spiral fashion, on top of each bottom disk. Fit the top disk on the buttercream, and press it gently to level.  Then refrigerate the sandwiched disks for about 30 to 60 minutes, just to firm the buttercream to facilitate handling when you frost them.  Set the filled pastry bag aside at room temperature.

To frost the Japonais, stack one on top of another, and pipe about three or four rows of buttercream around the outside of the two sandwiched pastries.  Using a small flexible metal icing spatula, smooth the buttercream around them in a thin layer.  Then roll them in the meringue crumbs, wheel fashion.  Put them back on the baking sheet, separating the two.

Any excess buttercream left on the spatula after smoothing the sides of the Japonais may be used to refill the pastry bag as necessary.  After frosting and coating the pastries, return the baking sheet to refrigerator to firm the buttercream around the Japonais, about 30 minutes.

Pipe a spiral of buttercream on top of each Japonais; sprinkle it with meringue crumbs, and press lightly so they adhere.  Finish each pastry by piping a small dot of buttercream on top for decoration.  Return the baking sheet with the Japonais to the refrigerator to firm the buttercream, then cover the sheet with plastic wrap.

Stack undecorated disks in an airtight metal container and store at room temperature up to 3 days. The decorated Japonais are best served the next day; or freeze, well wrapped, in an airtight plastic container up to 1 week.  Makes 2 to 3 dozen 1 3/4 inch Japonais.

NOTE: During overnight storage in the refrigerator, the crisp Japonais meringue disks absorb moisture from the buttercream, thereby softening the disks to a pleasant chewy consistency.