Marjolaine from David Lebovitz

For the meringues

Ingredients:

8 large free range egg whites
265g sugar
1 tbsp corn flour
Pinch salt
75g hazelnuts, toasted, de-skinned & very finely chopped
1 tbsp cocoa powder

Method:

Grease and line two non stick baking trays. Preheat the oven 180 degrees C.

Whip the egg whites until soft peaks form. Combine the sugar, corn flour and salt. Increase the speed on your mixer and add the cornflour and sugar mixture one spoon at a time until stiff peaks form. Divide the batter into two bowls. Sprinkle the chopped hazelnuts into one bowl and the cocoa into another then fold both gently to combine.

Spread the hazelnut mixture onto one tray to form a rectangle approx. 30cm long and 22cm wide. Do the same with your cocoa meringue on the second tray. Bake for 20-25 minutes until light golden brown then leave to cool completely. You can store these in cling film for up to 3 days.

For the praline

Ingredients:

100g golden caster sugar
65g almonds, toasted and chopped

Method:

Line a baking tray with a silicone baking mat. Spread the sugar on the bottom of a heavy bottomed saucepan and cook over a medium heat until it begins to melt around the edges. Drag the melting sugar into the centre of the pan with a heatproof spatula then stir gently until all the sugar is melted. Cook until the liquid is a deep amber colour, then remove from the heat and stir in the chopped almonds.

Pour the praline in an even layer over your baking mat and leave to cool and harden. Once completely cool, blitz in a blender to a coarse powder. The praline will keep for up to a week if you want to make it in advance.

For the chocolate ganache

Ingredients:

180g crème fraîche
280g good quality dark chocolate, finely chopped

Method:

Warm the crème fraîche in a small saucepan until it just begins to boil. Remove from the heat and add your chopped chocolate. Leave for a minute or so, then stir the mixture completely til smooth. It’s important to chop the chocolate nice and fine and to have the crème fraîche nice and hot or the ganache could split. Set aside to cool.

For the praline & vanilla creams

Ingredients:

180g crème fraîche
60ml double cream
30g golden caster sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
One quantity praline, as above
1tbsp Frangelico or other liqueur

Method:

In a stand mixer fitted with a whip attachment, whip the crème fraîche, cream, sugar and vanilla on medium speed until glossy, stiff but still shiny. You don’t want to overbeat.

Weigh 180g of your cream mixture into a bowl and stir through your blitzed praline. Set aside.

For the vanilla cream, add the Frangelico to your remaining crème fraîche and cream mixture and stir to combine. Set aside.

To assemble the marjolaine

Slice both your meringues in half lengthways so you have four rectangles of approx. 30cm long by 11cm wide.

Cover a tray with cling film and place one hazelnut meringue on top. Spread 180ml of the chocolate ganache onto the meringue, then top with a chocolate meringue. Put the remaining chocolate ganache in the fridge for the next day. Spread over all the vanilla cream then top with a hazelnut meringue. Spread over all the praline cream then top with the last chocolate meringue. Wrap the cling film round the whole thing nice and tight and pop in the fridge overnight to set.

The next day get your ganache out the fridge and warm slightly until it has a spreadable consistency. Remove the marjolaine from the fridge, take it out of its cling film wrapping and place on the plate or board you want to serve it on. Spread the top and sides with your ganache then return to the fridge to set.

The marjolaine is best served at room temperature. To get the neatest slices possible, use a serrated knife, running the blade under hot water between each slice for a super smooth finish.