Celebration Cake

Photo: flickr user dotbenjamin

Ingredients

1 cup granulated sugar

1 pound (250 g) whole almonds

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups roasted hazelnuts

1 cup roasted almonds

7 eggs, separated

1 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup water

1 pound unsalted butter at room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 1/2 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, melted

1 teaspoon reg. instant coffee

1 1/2 teaspoons boiling water

cups granulated sugar

12 egg yolks

Preparation

Makes 12 servings. (This recipe is HUGE, cut in half for most occasions).

PRALINES: Place sugar and 1/2 cup water in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over high heat. Stir just until sugar is dissolved. Then boil uncovered and undisturbed, until mixture turns caramel color. Stir in nuts; turn out onto a greased cookie sheet. When cool, grind in food processor.

CAKE: Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease two 9 inch pans, then line with greased waxed paper. Measure flour, baking powder and salt into a bowl. Stir together until blended. Then grind nuts in a food processor until a coarse mealy texture. Stir into flour mixture. Set aside.

Place egg whites in a large mixing bowl and yolks in top of double boiler set over hot water. Using the medium speed of an electric mixer, beat the yolks until lemony in color. Continuing to beat, gradually add 1/2 cup sugar, continue to beat until a pale color, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla.

Immediately clean beaters, then beat whites until they will hold soft peaks. Gradually beat in remaining 1/2 cup sugar, a tablespoon at a time, until whites will hold stiff shiny peaks.

Now combine mixtures by first stirring half the nut mixture into the warm egg yolks. Blend in remaining nut mixture. (It will be thick). Stir in a quarter of the whites. Then fold in remainder. Turn into prepared pans and smooth tops. Bake in preheated oven for 18 to 20 minutes, until cake springs back when lightly touched in center. Remove to a cooling rack. When cool, slice in half to form four layers.

BUTTERCREAM: Place water and sugar in a small heavy-bottomed saucepan. Place over medium heat, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Then increase heat and boil, without stirring, until 236 degrees F (soft ball stage) on a candy thermometer.

THE YOLKS MUST BE AT ROOM TEMPERATURE. As soon as the sugar syrup is ready, start beating the yolks, using the high speed of an electric mixer. Continuing to beat, very gradually add hot sugar syrup. Continue to beat until the mixture will hold soft peaks.

Place about 2/5th of the buttercream in a separate bowl for icing. Divide the remainder into three portions. Stir vanilla into one portion, melted chocolate into the second, and coffee dissolved in boiling water into the third.

ASSEMBLY; Cover one cake layer with chocolate buttercream. Top with a second layer, vanilla buttercream, another layer and coffee buttercream. Top with the final layer. Then cover top and sides with remaining buttercream. Press crushed pralines (or shaved hazelnuts) on sides of cake. This is an exquisite cake.