Sans Rival

The sans rival, or “without rival” in French, brings together layers of crisp dacquoise and French buttercream, as well as cashews and praline, to create an outstanding dessert worthy of a special occasion. 

With its French name and techniques, you might think the sans rival hails from Europe, but it’s actually a Filipino dessert. What distinguishes it from other cakes of its kind are the cashews (“kasoy” in Tagalog), which are popular in the Philippines.

Sans Rival was the Technical Bake for Fancy Dessert Week in Season 6 of The Great Canadian Baking Show.

Sans Rival

Special Equipment

Bamboo skewers

Ingredients

Dacquoise:

• 1¾ cups (250 g) cashews
• 3 tbsp (33 g) all-purpose flour
• ½ tsp kosher salt
• 8 large egg whites
• ½ tsp cream of tartar
• 2 cups (400 g) granulated sugar

French Buttercream:

• 2 cups (400 g) granulated sugar
• ½ cup water
• 12 large egg yolks
• ½ tsp kosher salt
• 2 cups (450 g) unsalted butter, cut into 1-tbsp cubes, slightly softened
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Cashew Praline and Candied Cashew Spikes:

• 1½ cups (300 g) granulated sugar
• ⅓ cup water
• 1 cup (150 g) cashews, divided

Assembly:

• ¾ cup (100 g) cashews

Preparation

Heat the oven to 375 F. Spread 3½ cups (500 g) cashews (for the whole cake) on a large sheet pan lined with parchment paper and toast until medium golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes, shaking the pan every 5 minutes to prevent burning. Remove the sheet pan from the oven and lower the temperature to 300 F. Set the nuts aside to cool slightly.  

Dacquoise:

Meanwhile, trace five 7-inch circles onto parchment paper. Then place the circles, side by side with the ink side down, on three baking sheets.

Pulse 1¾ cups (250 g) of the toasted cashews, the flour and salt in a food processor until finely ground, scraping down the bowl as needed.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat the egg whites and cream of tartar on medium speed until soft peaks form. Increase the speed to high and add the sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until the meringue is glossy and stiff. Sprinkle one-third of the nut mixture over the meringue and gently fold it in. Repeat with the rest of the nut mixture in two more additions. Transfer the batter to a large piping bag fitted with a large round tip. Starting in the middle of a parchment circle, pipe the meringue in a spiral to fill the whole circle, making sure not to leave any gaps. Moisten your finger and pat down any peaks on the meringue. Repeat with the other four circles.

Bake until lightly golden and firm, about 40 minutes. Turn off the oven and prop the door open with a wooden spoon, then allow the meringue to dry out for 30 minutes. Remove the pans from the oven and transfer the discs, along with the parchment paper, to a wire rack. Let them sit until cool to the touch. 

French Buttercream:

Bring the sugar and water to a boil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and boil until a candy thermometer reads 238 F, brushing the sides of the pot with a damp pastry brush to prevent crystallization. Allow the bubbling to subside for 1 minute before adding the syrup to the eggs. 

Meanwhile, place the egg yolks in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment and beat on medium speed for 30 seconds. Then, with the mixer running, gradually pour in the sugar syrup. Increase the speed to medium-high and continue to beat until cooled to room temperature, about 4 to 6 minutes. Add the salt. 

With the mixer on high speed, slowly add the butter, one piece at a time, beating between additions until incorporated and the mixture is smooth and fluffy. Add the vanilla and continue to beat for 1 minute, until thick and smooth. If it has split and seems too thin, continue beating — it will come together. Refrigerate until you’re readY to assemble the cake.

Cashew Praline and Candied Cashew Spikes:

Fill a large bowl halfway with ice and water. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Bring the sugar and water to a boil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and boil until a candy thermometer reads 340 F and the sugar is an amber colour, brushing the sides of the pan with a damp pastry brush to prevent crystallization. Immediately place the pot in the ice bath to prevent the caramel from darkening further, and let it cool until slightly thickened.

Meanwhile, place a cutting board at the edge of your counter and weigh it down with a glass bowl. Line the floor below with newspaper. Pierce the flat side of a cashew with a skewer, and repeat with as many cashews as desired. Coarsely chop the remaining cashews and set aside.

Dip a cashew in the caramel (if it’s the right thickness, it will leave a trail). Slide the end of the skewer under the cutting board so the cashew hangs over the edge of the counter and any excess caramel drips onto the newspaper. Repeat with the remaining cashews, taking care not to place the skewers too close to each other or the strands will stick together. 

Place the pot with the remaining caramel over medium heat until it becomes thin. Immediately stir in one cup of the chopped cashews. Pour the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet and spread into a thin layer to cool. Once hardened, remove the praline from the parchment and break two-thirds into shards. Put the other third in the bowl of a food processor and pulse a few times until finely ground. Sift it in a fine-mesh strainer and reserve for garnish.

Carefully remove the cashew spikes from the skewers. Use kitchen shears to cut the spikes to your desired length and set aside. 

Assembly:

If necessary, rewhip the buttercream on high speed until soft and pipeable, about 1 minute. Transfer to a large piping bag fitted with a large round tip. Coarsely chop the remaining ¾ cup (100 g) cashews.

Place a dab of buttercream on an 8-inch cake board set on a cake turntable. Peel the parchment paper off one layer of dacquoise and place the disc, flat side down, on the cake board. Pipe an even layer of buttercream on top and spread evenly with a small offset spatula. The buttercream should be about ¼ inch thick. Repeat the process with the remaining discs of meringue and buttercream, topping the final layer of meringue with buttercream. Pipe buttercream on the sides of the cake and smooth with a small offset spatula. Press the remaining chopped cashews onto the sides of the cake, covering them completely. 

While spinning the cake on the turntable, use a small offset spatula to create a groove in a spiral pattern in the icing on top of the cake. Chill the cake before adding the final garnishes (French buttercream can melt fast). Transfer the remaining icing to a separate piping bag with a large star tip. Pipe six rosettes on top of the cake. Garnish with the cashew praline, praline sugar and candied cashew spikes. Transfer the cake and board to a serving plate.

Makes one cake