The last time I made this was about 10 years ago...just found the recipe again...but I still remember how wonderful it was...and now that you can buy shelled pistach it's even easier!
LEMON AND PISTACHIO PRALINE MERINGUE TORTE
from Bon Appetit April 1995
12 Servings ... even better if made a day ahead to allow flavors to blend.
PRALINE
3/4 cup sugar
3 tablespoons water
1 cup shelled pistachios
MERINGUES
5 large egg whites
1/2 tsp. cream of tarter
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. almond extract
1 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup praline powder (which you will make from the praline)
LEMON BUTTER CREAM
4 oz. Good quality, chopped white chocolate (like Lindt or Baker’s)
4 large egg whites
1/4 tsp. cream of tarter
2 Tblsp. Plus 2/3 cup sugar
3 tblsp water
1 tblsp light corn syrup
1 cup butter at room temp
2 tblsp fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 Tblsp grated lemon peel
1 tsp. vanilla
FOR PRALINE: Oil a large baking sheet. Stir sugar and water in a heavy small saucepan over medium low flame until sugar dissolves. Increase heat and boil without stirring until the syrup turns deep amber, brushing down the sides of the pan with a wet pastry brush and swirling the pan occasionally. Stir in pistachios and immediately pour out onto prepared sheet. Cool completely.
Finely chop the praline. Grind 1/2 cup of praline into powder in a food processor.
FOR MERINGUE: Position 1 rack in the center and 1 rack in the top third of your oven. Preheat to 225 F. Line 2 baking sheets with cooking parchment. Draw two 8 inch circles on one sheet and one 8 inch circle on the other. Turn the parchment over so you can see the circles through the paper. Beat the 5 egg whites with cream of tarter until soft peaks form. Gradually add 1/2 cup sugar and beat until stiff but not dry. Beat in almond extract. Stir in powdered sugar and 1/2 cup praline powder together and fold into meringue in two additions.
Divide the meringue among the traced circles using a rubber spatula to spread it evenly and to the edges. Bake until crisp and pale gold. Reverse baking sheets after 45 minutes or so. Total baking time will be about 1 hour and 45 minutes. Cool completely.
FOR LEMON BUTTERCREAM: Stir white chocolate in top of a double boiler over simmering water until melted. Remove and cool a bit.
Beat 4 egg whites and cream of tarter in a large bowl until sift peaks form. Gradually beat in the 2 Tblsps sugar.
Combine remaining 2/3 cup sugar, 3 Tblsp water and corn syrup in a heavy, small saucepan. Stir over medium low heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat and boil without stirring, brushing down the sides of the pan with a wet pastry brush and swirling the pan occasionally until it reaches 238 F on a candy thermometer ... about 5 minutes.
Immediately pour hot syrup in a thin steady stream into beaten egg whites, beating continuously until mixture is completely cool ... about 4 minutes. Beat in butter, 2 Tblsps at a time. Beat in cooled white chocolate, lemon juice, peel, and vanilla. Chill until thickened to spreadable consistency, about 45 minutes. (If it looks curdled, warm it slightly over simmering water until butter softens a bit then beat it again until smooth ... you can repeat if necessary to make a smooth butter cream.)
TO ASSEMBLE: Place 1 meringue layer on the platter. Spread a scant cup of buttercream evenly to the edges. Top with the next meringue, spread another scant cup of buttercream. Top with the last layer and spread the remaining buttercream over top and sides of the torte. Press the chopped praline onto the sides and in a 1 inch border around the top edge of the torte. Chill overnight to set, but let it stand at room temp for 30 minutes or so before serving. Garnish with very thin lemon zest curls.
LEMON AND PISTACHIO PRALINE MERINGUE TORTE
from Bon Appetit April 1995
12 Servings ... even better if made a day ahead to allow flavors to blend.
PRALINE
3/4 cup sugar
3 tablespoons water
1 cup shelled pistachios
MERINGUES
5 large egg whites
1/2 tsp. cream of tarter
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. almond extract
1 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup praline powder (which you will make from the praline)
LEMON BUTTER CREAM
4 oz. Good quality, chopped white chocolate (like Lindt or Baker’s)
4 large egg whites
1/4 tsp. cream of tarter
2 Tblsp. Plus 2/3 cup sugar
3 tblsp water
1 tblsp light corn syrup
1 cup butter at room temp
2 tblsp fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 Tblsp grated lemon peel
1 tsp. vanilla
FOR PRALINE: Oil a large baking sheet. Stir sugar and water in a heavy small saucepan over medium low flame until sugar dissolves. Increase heat and boil without stirring until the syrup turns deep amber, brushing down the sides of the pan with a wet pastry brush and swirling the pan occasionally. Stir in pistachios and immediately pour out onto prepared sheet. Cool completely.
Finely chop the praline. Grind 1/2 cup of praline into powder in a food processor.
FOR MERINGUE: Position 1 rack in the center and 1 rack in the top third of your oven. Preheat to 225 F. Line 2 baking sheets with cooking parchment. Draw two 8 inch circles on one sheet and one 8 inch circle on the other. Turn the parchment over so you can see the circles through the paper. Beat the 5 egg whites with cream of tarter until soft peaks form. Gradually add 1/2 cup sugar and beat until stiff but not dry. Beat in almond extract. Stir in powdered sugar and 1/2 cup praline powder together and fold into meringue in two additions.
Divide the meringue among the traced circles using a rubber spatula to spread it evenly and to the edges. Bake until crisp and pale gold. Reverse baking sheets after 45 minutes or so. Total baking time will be about 1 hour and 45 minutes. Cool completely.
FOR LEMON BUTTERCREAM: Stir white chocolate in top of a double boiler over simmering water until melted. Remove and cool a bit.
Beat 4 egg whites and cream of tarter in a large bowl until sift peaks form. Gradually beat in the 2 Tblsps sugar.
Combine remaining 2/3 cup sugar, 3 Tblsp water and corn syrup in a heavy, small saucepan. Stir over medium low heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat and boil without stirring, brushing down the sides of the pan with a wet pastry brush and swirling the pan occasionally until it reaches 238 F on a candy thermometer ... about 5 minutes.
Immediately pour hot syrup in a thin steady stream into beaten egg whites, beating continuously until mixture is completely cool ... about 4 minutes. Beat in butter, 2 Tblsps at a time. Beat in cooled white chocolate, lemon juice, peel, and vanilla. Chill until thickened to spreadable consistency, about 45 minutes. (If it looks curdled, warm it slightly over simmering water until butter softens a bit then beat it again until smooth ... you can repeat if necessary to make a smooth butter cream.)
TO ASSEMBLE: Place 1 meringue layer on the platter. Spread a scant cup of buttercream evenly to the edges. Top with the next meringue, spread another scant cup of buttercream. Top with the last layer and spread the remaining buttercream over top and sides of the torte. Press the chopped praline onto the sides and in a 1 inch border around the top edge of the torte. Chill overnight to set, but let it stand at room temp for 30 minutes or so before serving. Garnish with very thin lemon zest curls.