My tested formula
Yield: three 20 cm / 8 inch discs. Use the quantities below as written before making any adjustment.
- 200 g egg whites
- 200 g granulated sugar
- 200 g almond flour
- Icing sugar for dusting
Method
- Whip the egg whites, adding the granulated sugar progressively, to a glossy stiff French meringue.
- Fold in the almond flour gently and stop as soon as it is evenly dispersed.
- Pipe immediately into three 20 cm / 8 inch discs, dust lightly with icing sugar and bake at 107°C / 225°F until lightly browned and almost dry.
- Cool completely before trimming or layering.
How I define it and compare the sources
Dacquoise is a nut meringue sponge: a French meringue carrying almond or hazelnut meal. The term can describe the baked component or a layered cake built from it.
The ICE formula is a flourless 1:1:1 egg-white, sugar and almond system baked slowly. Pastry Maestra uses hazelnut, icing sugar and a small flour addition at a higher temperature. These are legitimate but materially different systems and are not averaged.
What I watch closely
- Use a stable meringue but do not whip it dry and clumpy.
- Fold only until homogeneous; lost foam cannot be restored.
- Pipe immediately because the nut-loaded foam weakens while standing.
- Judge doneness by a dry, stable surface and the intended application: insert layers may remain slightly more tender than free-standing cake layers.