Esterházy Torte with Almond Meringue Layers and Spiderweb Glaze

What you need

• 500 g (1 lb 2 oz) blanched almonds, toasted and cooled; 250 g ground for the layers, 150 g ground for the filling, 100 g chopped for the sides
• 12 large egg whites, room temperature
• 500 g (2 1/2 cups) caster sugar, half for the meringue layers, half for the filling
• 40 g (4 tbsp) vanilla sugar, half for the meringue layers, half for the filling
• 80 g (2/3 cup) all-purpose flour
• 12 large egg yolks
• 300 g (1 1/3 cups) unsalted butter, soft, room temperature
• 45 g (3 tbsp) apricot jam
• 400 g (3 1/4 cups) icing sugar, sifted
• 3 tsp neutral oil, 2 tsp for the icing, 1 tsp for the chocolate
• 3 tsp lemon juice
• 60 ml (1/4 cup) hot water, plus 1 tsp water for the jam
• 50 g (2 oz) dark chocolate, chopped

Method

Restated from the original video

1. 1

   Heat the oven to 175 °C (350 °F). Spread the almonds on a tray and toast for 10-12 min, until golden and fragrant. Cool completely.

2. 2

   Chop 100 g of the almonds roughly and set aside. Grind 250 g finely for the layers and 150 g finely for the filling, in separate batches, stopping before they turn oily.

3. 3

   Lower the oven to 165 °C (325 °F), no fan. Trace five 25 cm (10 in) circles on sheets of parchment, turn them over and set each on an upside-down baking sheet.

4. 4

   Whisk the whites with half of the caster sugar and half of the vanilla sugar, adding it gradually, for about 5 min, until stiff and glossy.

5. 5

   Fold in the 250 g ground almonds and the flour with a spatula, just until no dry streaks remain. Do not overmix.

6. 6

   Divide the batter into 5 equal portions and spread each inside a traced circle.

7. 7

   Bake one sheet at a time for 14 min, until the layer is set and no longer sticky to the touch. Slide it, still on the parchment, onto a flat surface to cool. Let the baking sheet cool before the next layer. The cooled layers keep overnight under a clean towel.

8. 8

   For the filling, simmer about 2 cm (1 in) of water in a pan. In a heatproof bowl that sits above the water without touching it, whisk the yolks with the remaining caster sugar and vanilla sugar.

9. 9

   Cook over the water for 14-15 min, whisking every 2-3 min and constantly toward the end, until thick, pale and 71 °C (160 °F) on a thermometer. Cool completely.

10. 10

    Beat the cooled yolk mixture for 30 seconds. In another bowl, beat the butter for 2 min until light and fluffy, then beat in the yolk mixture. Add the 150 g ground almonds and beat until smooth.

11. 11

    Set aside 3 tbsp of the filling for the sides. Divide the rest into 4 equal portions.

12. 12

    Peel the parchment off the first layer and set it on a tray. Spread with a portion of filling. Repeat with 3 more layers and filling, then top with the last layer upside down, flat side up, with no filling on it.

13. 13

    Cover the top with parchment, set a flat tray on it and weigh it down with a pot half full of water. Chill for 1 h to set and level.

14. 14

    Warm the jam with 1 tsp water until loose. Remove the parchment, brush a thin layer of jam over the top and chill for 30 min.

15. 15

    Spread the reserved filling around the sides and press the chopped almonds onto it.

16. 16

    Melt the chocolate with 1 tsp of the oil, stir smooth and cool slightly. Transfer it to a small piping bag fitted with a fine round nozzle.

17. 17

    Whisk the icing sugar with 2 tsp oil and the lemon juice. Add the hot water 1 tsp at a time, whisking hard for 2 min, until smooth, creamy and spreadable but not runny.

18. 18

    Dip a large knife in hot water and spread the icing over the top in one smooth pass.

19. 19

    At once, pipe 4 concentric chocolate circles onto the wet icing, from the center outward. Draw a skewer from the center to the edge, rotating the cake a little between each line, 6 lines in all, while the icing is wet. Uneven icing can be smoothed with a hair dryer on its lowest setting.

20. 20

    Cover and chill for at least 24 h before cutting. It is better on day 2 or 3.

21. 21

    Slice with a long thin blade, rinsing and drying it after every cut. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Imported from hostessatheart.com. Recipe Grab pulled out what you need to cook it; the video stays where its author put it.