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Pistachio Sans Rival

Sliced pistachio Sans Rival cake on a serving board.
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5 from 19 reviews

Pistachio Sans Rival is a nutty twist on a classic Filipino cake Sans Rival. Made with pistachio dacquoise stacked with rich French buttercream and generously sprinkled with crunchy pistachios, it is a classic Filipino dessert cake.

Ingredients

Scale

For pistachio dacquoise:

  • 6 large egg whites, room temperature
  • 3/4 tablespoon cream of tartar
  • 1 cup (225 g) caster sugar
  • 1 cup (100 g) raw pistachios, finely chopped

For French buttercream:

  • 3/4 cup (170 g) caster sugar
  • 1/2 cup (110 ml) water
  • 9 large egg yolks, room temperature
  • 1 1/2 cups (235 g) unsalted butter, softened and cut into cubes
  • 1/2 teaspoon dark rum

For the decoration:

  • 1 1/4 cup (125 g) raw pistachios

* If needed, please refer to Baking Conversion Charts.

**Don't you have the correct baking pan on hand right now? Try this simple Cake Pan Converter!

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 300°F (150°C). Place 1 1/4 cups (125 g) raw pistachios on a baking sheet and toast them in the oven for 15 minutes. Let the nuts cool, chop, and set aside for decoration.
  2. Decrease oven temperature to 275°F (135°C). Place four 8-inch (20 cm) cake rings on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
  3. To make pistachio dacquoise, place egg whites with cream of tartar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat egg whites at medium speed for 1 minute, gradually adding sugar until soft peaks.
  4. Switch the mixer to high speed and whisk the meringue for about 4 to 5 minutes until stiff peaks. Add chopped raw pistachios and gently mix with a rubber spatula until just combined.
  5. Divide the meringue preparation evenly among the prepared cake rings and spread it evenly with a small spatula. Instead, you can pipe the pistachio mixture as a spiral using a pastry bag fitted with Ateco plain pastry tip 809.
  6. Bake for 1 hour or until lightly golden brown. Let cool for 5 minutes; use a small knife to release the edges of the dacquoise discs, and remove the cake rings. Then flip each disc onto another sheet of parchment paper. Finally, peel off the parchment from the bottom and allow it to cool completely.
  7. To make the buttercream, whip egg yolks at high speed, using an electric mixer or stand mixer, until pale and doubled in volume, for about 8 to 10 minutes.
  8. Bring water and sugar in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over low heat. Cook sugar syrup until it reaches 240°F (115°C), using a cooking thermometer.
  9. Reset the mixer to low speed, and while whisking, pour the hot sugar syrup in thin streams into the beaten egg yolks, beating until the preparation cools, about 4 minutes. In a separate mixing bowl, beat the softened butter at low speed until smooth. Increase the speed to medium, add the egg yolk/sugar mixture, then add dark rum. Beat until smooth and creamy.
  10. To assemble the cake, place a cake board on a flat surface and dot a small amount of buttercream in the center of the board. Place the first dacquoise disc on the board and gently press it into place. Spread buttercream on the top of the disc. Sprinkle with chopped pistachios.
  11. Repeat the process with the remaining three discs and the buttercream. Cover the top and sides of the torte with the remaining buttercream using a bent spatula. Sprinkle it all over with chopped toasted pistachios. Refrigerate overnight.

Notes

  1. Do not over-mix the dacquoise mixture when you add chopped nuts: just combine.
  2. If you have only two cake rings, you will need to make the dacquoise twice (half and half) and bake two discs at a time.
  3. Bake dacquoise one day in advance and store it in an airtight container, or simply cover it with a tea towel.
  4. Bring the cake to the counter 30 minutes before serving for the buttercream to soften. The dessert tastes best at room temperature.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://www.bakinglikeachef.com/pistachio-sans-rival/